On the 23rd of August 2015 my beautiful daughter Melina Eliz Taylor was born this was the happiest day of my life.  8 weeks on she was diagnosed with a rare and terminal illness SMA type 1 (Spinal Muscular Atrophy) this then became the saddest day of my life.

SMA is a genetic disease that causes muscle degeneration in babies, meaning they lose their ability to move, swallow and smile and ultimately stops them from being able to breathe.  It is a savage and aggressive disease and 95% of babies with SMA type 1 do not reach their first birthday.  Melina is a little fighter and will hopefully turn 2 this August :).

As she has become progressively more poorly we have spent many weeks at Helen and Douglas House Childrens Hospice in Oxford.  They have helped to make her short life as happy and fun as possible but have also supported Melinas mum and I through this difficult journey.

The Hospice receive only very minimal funding from the government and it is only through private donations that they are able to survive and continue to support families like ours.

I urge you please to give whatever you can afford and i promise i will strive my hardest to make the summit!

If you wish to know more of our journey, please go to 'Melinalittlemermaid' facebook page.

Thank you