Kris Devaney , John Rigby and Kim Viola are running the 10km Great Scottish Run on 29th Sept to raise money to help pay for Anat Baniel Method therapy for Kris' daughter Lyla.

Lyla is a beautiful and very special six year old who was born in Melbourne, Australia but now calls Glasgow, Scotland home. She lives with her Mummy Cara, her Daddy Kris and big brother Blair. Lyla was born with a rare brain disorder called Bilateral Perisylvian Polymicrogyria (PMG) which has led to her having quadriplegic athetoid cerebral palsy.

Lyla is a smart and funny little girl who has many physical challenges. She can't sit or stand unaided and she uses a wheelchair. Lyla has a lot of uncontrolled movement which is exhausting, painful and frustrating for her. She attends mainstream school and uses an eye gaze computer and a PODD communication book to communicate as she is non verbal. She is a very social and popular wee girl and loves her friends.

Over the years we have tried many different therapies to help Lyla and she has been having regular Anat Baniel Method (ABM) lessons since she was 2. ABM uses the theory of neuroplasticity to build new neural pathways in the brain and integrate new and more effective patterns of movement. The progress we have seen every time Lyla has an intensive block of ABM lessons is nothing short of incredible.

She has learnt to babble, to roll, to prop herself up for a few seconds, to grade her movements, to point, to grab objects with her right hand and to calm her body when it all gets too much. These things seem so small to others but for Lyla and us they are huge developments and ones which expand her capabilities.

In the past we have travelled to Ireland to visit an ABM therapist as they are few and far between but over the past year we have joined with a group of parents to bring an ABM therapist up from England to Glasgow to do intensive blocks of lessons with our kids. Our wonderful therapist comes up every 6 weeks and Lyla has 3 days of lessons with her at a cost of approx £400.

This is a huge commitment in terms of both time and cost but the results we see for Lyla make it worth it. The money that Kris, John and Kim raise by running the 10km of the Great Scottish Run on 29th September will all go towards the £3.5k cost of Lyla's ABM over the next 12 months.

Every penny is so gratefully received and as always we are incredibly thankful for all the support that our friends and families give us xxx