By Rowan Forster
He’s been dubbed Super Sam, and this pint-sized Pakenham pre-schooler is going to take on the Medibank Melbourne Marathon for a noble cause.
Sam, 3, has been diagnosed with mild Cerebal Palsy, but that hasn’t stopped him from living large.
With the support of mum Bree Bartlett and the Cerebal Palsy Education Centre (CPEC), Sam hopes to make a big impression,
He and Archer – featured in the Gazette last week – are both fundraising for CPEC.
Mrs Bartlett said she is extremely proud of Sam’s progress in the eye of adversity.
“We’re extremely excited for him and so proud of him,” she said.
“When he started at CPEC he wasn’t even walking and since then he has come a long way.
“He’s an inspiration to all of us.”
According to Mrs Bartlett, Sam’s condition puts him at an even higher risk because he is still able to manoeuvre.
“It makes him really vulnerable to falling and hurting himself,” she added.
Joined by siblings Lilly and Harry, Sam will undertake a three kilometre leg of the famous trek.
“We’ll carry him if he gets tired or sore and help him out as much as we can,” Mrs Bartlett said.
Sam was diagnosed at the age of two after falling short of his developmental milestones.
Since being at CPEC, he has learnt to walk and can even navigate stairs – a remarkable achievement considering his age and condition.
CPECs Robyne Somerville described Sam as a bundle of joy.
“Sam loves to make people laugh and comes out with the funniest things and his smile completely lights up the room,” she said.
“We are so excited for Sam as this is a massive undertaking and it will be a huge achievement for him.”
Sam will be participating in the mini marathon for the very first time on 14 October.
He is enthusiastic about walking the final lap on the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Donations can be made by heading to: https://melbournemarathon2018.everydayhero.com/au/bree
