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Make every click count, says Helaina

Stuart Pike
29/ 2/2008

CHILD of Courage Helaina Stone is appealing for people to make every click count by raising money for charity as they surf the net.

Web surfers can "give for free" to hundreds of different charitable causes just by making www.everyclick.com their search engine of choice - and could even help 13-year-old Helaina's charity scoop a lucrative national awareness campaign.

Helaina, of Parkfield Road, New Moston, is one of just 300 people worldwide with rare genetic disorder Costello Syndrome.

Her parents Colin and Cath run the International Costello Syndrome Support Group (ICSSG), which has been entered into Everyclick's charity challenge.

Just by using the search engine, money is donated to all the registered charities on a pro rata basis, and donors can also identify a specific charity they wish to donate to. Each separate search adds a penny to the running total, which currently stands at over £400,000.

The charity in each size category with the most supporters by 14 April this year will also be in contention to win the prize of a massive free advertising campaign across 1,500 national sites.

The website had raised over £400 of vital funds for the tiny family support group in just a few months.

Only a handful of children in Britain suffer from Costello Syndrome, a life-limiting condition which causes physical disabilities, learning difficulties and speech problems.

Helaina's dad and ICSSG director Colin said: "Everyclick is a social search engine.

"It's a fabulous idea and to have that presence on our own search engine programme helps to raise awareness.

"The syndrome is so rare there was very little known about it until we set up the support group in 1997, which has been extremely important."

He added: "The thing I love about Everyclick is it's family friendly - you don't get dodgy websites coming up.

"I think it's amazing - it's free giving to feel good while you surf the web and raise money for charity at the same time."

Keen dancer Helaina got to go to Downing Street to meet the Prime Minister and a host of other celebrities after winning a Woman's Own's Children of Courage award last December.

The support group is also set to be featured in a Granada documentary later this year, documenting the Stones' battle to raise funds for clinical trials and to boost awareness of the condition through attending conferences in the US.

Colin added: "Helaina is doing fantastically well.

"It's still very tough because of all the problems she has got but she overcomes them with incredible grace.

"She's going to have problems lifelong but she doesn't let those problems get in the way."

To donate or for more information visit: www.costellokids.com or www.everyclick.com .