olivia's journey
Donation protected
Hello, my name is Olivia, I am 8 years old and I have spastic diaplegic cerebral palsy. I live with my mummy Senga, my daddy Steven and my big sister Taylor and baby sister billiée. I was born 10 weeks premature and it was a big surprise to my mummy and daddy. When I was born I was very poorly and had to stay in the neo-natal hospital for about 4-5 weeks. When I was 1 year old I was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, the doctors said they didn't know what the prognosis for walking in the future was for me. As I got older I was given equipment to help with my mobility, I have a stand that helps stretch my legs, a bench to help me sit, a wedge to help me sit on my bottom but this didn't work well for me. I have a bike at school so I can cycle around the playground with my friends and I take it home in the holidays to play in the park. I use a kaye walker daily and use a wheelchair most of the time too because I cant use my kaye walker very far. I also wear splints every day and I have a lycra suit to help give my body support to do activities. I have to take medication called baclofen every day to help loosen the tight muscles in my legs. I go swimming every week with my swimming teacher Sophie, I love my lessons very much and the swimming helps loosen the muscles in my legs. My mummy and daddy also give me physio on my legs a few times every day. I love being active and would love to play football or run around with my friends playing superheros.
My mummy found out about an operation called selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR). In addition to SDR I may also need another surgery to lengthen my tendons. These procedures will help to treat my muscle spasticity, and I could even help me to walk aided or walk unaided.
The money that we hope to raise will pay for the SDR operation and tendon lengthening if I need this too. It will also pay for pre surgery physio to help strenghten my muscles and post op reabilitation and equipment.
After applying to Bristol children hospital and having to visits for different assessments we have been accepted to have the operation at Bristol children hospital and are super excited and nervous too . We now have a date for the 9th of July 2018 . This means so much to me and my family, I will have a much better quality of life, and I'll be able to do all the things that I want to do, like running, jumping and playing the same as my friends. It’s going to be lots of hard work but with the help of family , friends and professionals I will do this .
I would be so grateful if you would help me and my family by donating whatever you can or by fundraising. Any help no matter how big or small would help to make such a huge difference to us. I will keep you all up to date on every step of my exciting journey .
Thank you
My mummy found out about an operation called selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR). In addition to SDR I may also need another surgery to lengthen my tendons. These procedures will help to treat my muscle spasticity, and I could even help me to walk aided or walk unaided.
The money that we hope to raise will pay for the SDR operation and tendon lengthening if I need this too. It will also pay for pre surgery physio to help strenghten my muscles and post op reabilitation and equipment.
After applying to Bristol children hospital and having to visits for different assessments we have been accepted to have the operation at Bristol children hospital and are super excited and nervous too . We now have a date for the 9th of July 2018 . This means so much to me and my family, I will have a much better quality of life, and I'll be able to do all the things that I want to do, like running, jumping and playing the same as my friends. It’s going to be lots of hard work but with the help of family , friends and professionals I will do this .
I would be so grateful if you would help me and my family by donating whatever you can or by fundraising. Any help no matter how big or small would help to make such a huge difference to us. I will keep you all up to date on every step of my exciting journey .
Thank you
Organizer
Senga Brands
Organizer