On April 17th I will be running 13 miles to raise £1000.00 for Just4Children to help towards funding SDR, a life changing spinal operation to help Izzy walk.

SDR is not currently available under the NHS and in total the family need to raise £80,000.

Izzy is a bright, happy, cheeky 5 year old girl, who loves to sing and dance. She's a pupil at St. Columb Major Academy in Cornwall, UK

Izzy is one of identical twins and she has Cerebral Palsy Spastic Diplegia. This means she has increased muscle tone and her legs are constantly stiff (spasticity), she suffers from pain and also has difficulty with leg movements, coordination and balance.

Because of her condition, Izzy cannot walk or even stand unaided.

Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy (SDR) is a life changing complex spinal operation, the only surgical procedure that permanently reduces or eliminates stiffness and spasticity in the legs.

Spasticity causes a lot of pain, and over time, shortening of muscles and tendons, joints contractures and bone deformities.

This is not a cure for Cerebral Palsy but without the spasticity, Izzy will be given the chance to improve her range of movements and, with intensive physiotherapy, strengthen her muscles, hopefully giving her the opportunity to walk.

The results from SDR are simply incredible and children that were told they would never walk, are not only walking, they are running, jumping and dancing too.

This operation could potentially mean the difference between Izzy walking independently and her being in a wheelchair for the rest of her life.

All donations, no matter how big or small are very much appreciated, every penny raised is a step closer to getting the surgery Izzy desperately needs.

Thank you very much for your support, it means so much to me and I know it means even more to the family <3

Tara xx