Little Aussie battler

Shane Seaman epitomises the Aussie battler.

After Shane was born 13 weeks prematurely in December 2006, medical staff told his parents Alana and Andrew he would be a “vegetable” who required tube-feeding.

“Shane has spastic quadriplegia cerebral palsy,” Mrs Seaman said.

“That means all four limbs are affected … where messages are sent from our brain to our muscles for us to move, his messages are muddled.”

However, six-year-old Shane has persevered in the face of adversity and demonstrates an infectious zest for life.

“He’s my little miracle,” Mrs Seaman said.

“He just doesn’t know any different, takes it in his stride and gets on with it.”

Shane is wheelchair bound, and currently has full casts on both legs.

“Last year Shane underwent a bilateral femoral osteotomy, where they cut through both his femur bones and reposition the ball of the hip back into the socket,” Mrs Seaman said. “Because he can’t walk or run around like other kids, his hips come out of the joint … he also has Botox injections every six months to smooth out his muscles so they don’t scissor and pop the hips out again.”

In recognition of Shane’s bravery, the Lion’s Club of Albany South Coast presented him with a Children of Courage award last Friday, May 17, at Yakamia Primary School where he is a Year 1 student.

Club president Barry Mason said the group was so impressed by Shane’s progress after meeting him two months ago, they decided to honour him with the medal.

“It made him a very happy little boy, which is the main thing,” he said.

Mrs Seaman said Shane was “overjoyed” with the award.

“He wouldn’t take it off and slept with it on that night with the certificate on the end of his bed.”