Nine year old Ellie-Louise was born early at 29 weeks and weighed a tiny 2lbs 12oz. A little fighter, as soon as she was strong enough, she was let home from hospital to be cared for by her parents.
As she got older, her parents noticed that there were certain development milestones that Ellie-Louise did not reach. A trip to the doctor saw her diagnosed with Spastic Diplegic Cerebral Palsy.
The most common form of cerebral palsy, it affects the lower abdomen, restricting movement in the pelvis down. One of the main symptoms Ellie-Louise deals with on a day to day basis is a tightness and pain in her muscles. She relies on a wheelchair to get around, and although she can walk with the aid of a frame, it is tiring and uncomfortable.
However, there is hope for Ellie-Louise. Her parents were made aware of procedure called "Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy" (SDR), a surgical procedure on the spinal cord that can relieve the symptoms of SDCP. The operation is carried out by Dr. Parks, a top neurosurgeon at St Louis Childrens Hospital Missouri. To date he has carried out over 2000 operations with 100% success rate.
As with all life changing proceedures it comes at a price. The operation will cost Ellie-Louise's parents in the region of £45000. It's a lot of money, but a small price to pay for the chance for the bubbly schoolgirl to have a near normal life without pain and tightness in her legs - and for her to achieve her dreams of wearing pretty girly shoes and riding a pony.
She's booked in for her operation in March 2012, but she needs your help to get her to America - and to help her dreams of taking her first painfree steps, come true.
For more information, check out Ellie's website: http://www.ellie-louisefundsdr.com/
