The father of a boy with a severe form of autism was overwhelmed by the response to an online appeal for help in solving a rather unusual problem.
Marc Carter had asked for assistance in replacing his son Ben’s favourite blue cup, which he has drunk from since he was just two-years-old.
Now 14, he is fiercely attached to the object and refuses to drink from any other vessel.
The situation became serious when the ageing receptacle began to break up and attempts to encourage the teenager to drink from anything else proved fruitless. On two occasions he was taken to A&E with severe dehydration.
An increasingly worried Marc, who had unsuccessfully scoured the internet to find a replacement, eventually turned to social media for help.
His plea was retweeted more than 12,000 times and led to spontaneous offers of help from as far away as Australia.
Ultimately the message attracted the attention of the cup’s manufacturer Tommee Tippee.
Although it is almost 20 years since it made this particular product, the company was able to locate the original mould at one of its factories and promised to make a “lifetime supply” of 500 cups for the Carter family.
Marc said that he had been bowled over by the offers of support.
“For me it’s massive. Some people think I’m exaggerating but without it he doesn’t drink so personally I’m very relieved.
“I would not be happier if I won the lottery. Just knowing he has got these cups gives us peace of mind.”
The 42-year-old fears that understanding of autism and how it affects people has not evolved much in Ben’s lifetime, with many people still associating the condition with the 1988 film Rain Man, starring Dustin Hoffman.
“If you’ve met one autistic child or person, you’ve met one,” said Marc, highlighting that the condition manifests differently in every individual.