Rebecca Blinkhorn

Rebecca Blinkhorn is our Engagement Coordinator. 

Rebecca studied law and went on to work in social housing before having her son, Mike. Mike was born poorly, with Congenital Cytomegalovirus in 2012 and life changed suddenly as Mike needed lots of hospital care as a little baby.  She became a full-time carer to Mike in 2014. 

In the early years of Mike's life , Rebecca raised over £10,000 for charities involved in Mike's care, CMV Action, the Neo Natal Unit at Wythenshawe Hospital, The Speech & Language Team at Royal Manchester Children's Hospital and the garden in children's outpatients at Wythenshawe Hospital. She wanted to give something back, for everything that had been done to help Mike. 

Mike has significant feeding problems and in 2014 Rebecca secured out of area funding for treatment with their CCG. Mike was tube weaned and Rebecca went on to set up a feeding support group, for children with complex feeding problems like Mike. The group still runs today. 

Rebecca joined Trafford Parents Forum in 2018. Her passion to help families like her own, was born out of the feelings of isolation, fear and loneliness that can come with caring for a disabled child. Rebecca made a promise to herself, in the days after Mike was born, that the only way forwards was to be there for anyone else in the same shoes.