- West Ham fan Brooke Lawrance has bravely battled cerebral palsy since she was a toddler
- Ten-year-old Season Ticket Holder has a lifelong goal walking the Hammers out unaided
- Courageous youngster and sister Nadine were mascots for Saturday's visit of Stoke City
Brooke Lawrance had two wishes.
The first was to walk unaided. The second was to lead her beloved West Ham United out at London Stadium.
The courageous ten-year-old has battled cerebral palsy – a neurological condition that weakens the muscles, affecting movement and co-ordination – since she was diagnosed with the condition as a toddler.
Initially, the prognosis was bleak, with Brooke confined to a wheelchair for the vast majority of her young life, with her dream of walking seemingly set to be forever unfulfilled.
Then, following the amazing ‘Brooke’s Wish to Walk’ fundraising drive led by her parents Sarah and Pete which saw well-wishers from all over the country raise £75,000, Brooke travelled to the United States in November 2012, where she underwent pioneering surgery.
Supported by her sisters Nadine and Neve and little brother Sam, the brave youngster has spent the past four years going through rigorous physiotherapy sessions, including regular trips to visit a specialist in Scotland and spending hours on a treadmill at the family’s Ipswich home.
While Brooke still requires her wheelchair to make long journeys, she has progressed from using a walker to building up her core muscles using specially-adapted walking sticks.
In May 2013, Joint-Chairman David Gold shed a tear as she led West Ham out at the Boleyn Ground. After the game, Brooke met Kevin Nolan, who handed her his ‘very sweaty’ match-worn boots!
“It was really nerve-wracking with 35,000 people staring at me, but fun too!” she recalled.
Three-and-a-half years on and, with the support of her family, Brooke continues to work to get stronger every day, all the time with aim of realising her wish to walk.
My family help me a lot. Whenever I need something, they always offer to help
Brooke Lawrance
“During the week, I go on the treadmill every night and we build it up,” she explained. “I also see a man up in Scotland who gives me a certain programme to follow to improve and to get better.
“My family help me a lot. Whenever I need something, they always offer to help. My sisters help me transition from one place to another and have really helped me by giving up their whole lives and childhood for me.
“When everyone else is going on their six-week holiday, we go to Scotland so I can get treatment.”
The love and support in the Lawrance household is there for all to see, as is their satisfaction at seeing Brooke being rewarded for the commitment she has shown to her arduous regimen of therapy.
The result is that she is now living a fulfilling and rewarding life.
“I am now able to go to mainstream school and I love it,” she explained. “Me and my friend who is a Man United fan talk about West Ham and how much better West Ham are than Man United – that’s fun!”
On Saturday, before West Ham’s Premier League fixture with Stoke City, Brooke, older sister Nadine, mum Sarah, dad Peter and grandfather Brian – all Season Ticket Holders – travelled down the A12 to London Stadium.
“We are busy all week with school, Cubs, Beavers and other family activities, and we have Brooke’s strengthening exercises every night, so matchdays are our day off!” Sarah explained.
There, Brooke enjoys her view from one of the more than 200 seats provided for supporters with special Accessibility requirements.
“I like the new Stadium!” she smiled. “I was pretty shocked because I thought it would be the same as the old ground, where I was sat right at the front and couldn’t see too well.
“The new seats are really impressive and I have a really great view. After the match, we normally talk about it on the way home. We normally talk about the officials, but I won’t go into that!”
“It’s so much easier to get to and to get around,” Sarah confirmed. “She couldn’t bring her electric wheelchair to the old stadium, but it’s great at the new ground. We all love it and we love our seats!”
On Saturday, though, the Lawrance’s matchday routine was slightly different to normal.
The family were invited to Club London, where they were welcomed by centre forward Andy Carroll, who invited them into the hallowed surroundings of the Players’ Lounge.
There, he informed Brooke and Nadine that they would be mascots, handing them each Home kits emblazoned with their names and numbers, Brooke’s with Carroll’s No9, and Nadine’s with her favourite Aaron Cresswell’s No3.
The look on the girls’ faces was a picture, but nothing to the mixture of shock and excitement which they showed when Carroll took them to meet the squad – Dimitri Payet, Mark Noble, Cresswell and all – in the Hammers dressing room.
“I like Adrian, like my Mum does!” Brooke smiled, “I also like Dimitri Payet, like everyone else!”
For her parents, the sight of their little girls meeting their heroes was one they will never forget.
“Words cannot describe the feeling seeing my daughters’ faces!” said Peter. “We will always remember this day and take it away and it will live long in our memories. We cannot thank the Club enough, because it has totally blown us away.
“Football has always been our little release, but this day has been extra-special.”
After collecting photographs and autographs they will cherish forever, the family headed pitchside, meeting Hammers legend Tony Gale on the way, before receiving a warm welcome from Joint-Chairman David Gold.
Come ten to three, the girls led their heroes onto the pitch, Brooke with captain Noble and Nadine with Cresswell.
With her proud parents and grandfather watching on from the stands, and more than 50,000 fans singing ‘Bubbles’ at the tops of their voices, Brooke smiled.
One of her two wishes had been well and truly fulfilled.