Peterborough dad’s joy after £2.5k raised in 24 hours for child with Down’s syndrome to go on family bike rides

Piotr Szymankiewicz started a GoFundMe page for his nine-year-old son Ivo to raise £2,000 for a new electric cargo bike which would allow the family of four to ride together outside.

And thanks to superb donations from members of Impulse BJJ (Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu) in Orton Southgate, the target was smashed in just a day, with £2,800 having been raised.

Piotr, his wife Gosea and six-year-old daughter Nella all attend the club.

Piotr from Werrington said: “They just all got together to help us raise this amount. It was a really big surprise and it’s made us really happy because we will be able to buy my boy the bike.

“We will be able to go and cycle around the park as all of the playgrounds are closed, so we are super happy.

“We are just so grateful.”

Ivo began having seizures at the age of just six months when he was diagnosed with West syndrome (spasms). He also has sensory processing disorder, meaning a lot of his behaviour is similar to that of an autistic child.

Piotr said: “When he was small we were able to take him on family bike rides in the back seat which he loved, but as he got bigger and stronger with his unpredictable behaviour this is unfortunately no longer possible.

“We wanted to be able to take the whole family out together - we worry that Ivo’s sister Nella is missing out on such experiences.”

The family will now be able to purchase a RadWagon bike which Piotr said Ivo cannot fall off.

He added: “We can provide Ivo with experiences that every child should have access to.”