Ella is fundraising for Maeve Bisset's Tree of Hope campaign. She is 9 years old and taking part in the junior great south run. Please donate all you can.

Maeve is a fearless, unstoppable 4-year-old with an unforgettable personality and incredible resilience.

She was born prematurely at just 28 weeks during COVID-19 due to PPROM (Preterm Premature Rupture of Membranes) at Royal Hampshire County Hospital in Winchester. Maeve was diagnosed with cerebral palsy just before her 2nd birthday — a lifelong movement disorder that causes severe spasticity in both of her legs. This makes everyday tasks like standing, sitting, and walking painful and extremely challenging.

Since her diagnosis, we have self-funded intensive weekly physiotherapy for over two years, driving to North London for week-long therapy blocks and to Bournemouth for weekly sessions. We continue to work on her mobility every single day at home.

Around Christmas 2025, Maeve is scheduled for life-changing neurosurgery called Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy (SDR). This surgery will reduce the abnormal signals causing the tightness in her legs, helping improve her mobility and reduce her pain. While SDR is not a cure, it offers a significant chance for her to walk more freely — and even achieve her dream of roller skating one day.

After surgery, Maeve will need to learn to walk all over again and undergo intensive rehabilitation to rebuild her strength and independence.

Fundraising wasn’t an easy decision for us, especially knowing how tough things are for everyone right now. But we know Maeve’s journey has inspired many people, and we want to keep raising awareness about cerebral palsy and open up important conversations. If you feel able to support her, we are endlessly grateful.