Milngavie mum's fundraising bid to help her daughter walk

A Milngavie mum has launched a fundraising appeal for life-changing treatment to help her young daughter walk.
Little Ella Faulds on her special needs trikeLittle Ella Faulds on her special needs trike
Little Ella Faulds on her special needs trike

Ella (4) has cerebral palsy. The little girl was born prematurely at 26 weeks with twin brother Aaron and diagnosed with the condition at the age of two.

Mum Jennifer Faulds says she needs to raise £35,000 so the youngster can have intensive physiotherapy and the surgery she hopes will drastically improve her walking ability. The surgery is a procedure called selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR).

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The past year has been extra tough for the family. Jennifer moved back to Milngavie from London to be near her mum and wider family support network after her fiance – Ella and Aaron’s dad - died suddenly last May from heart failure.

Jennifer said: “It’s been knock after knock. SDR is expensive - mainly the cost of the rehabilitation physio required afterwards - but the outcomes are amazing and could change Ella's life completely.

“Ella has diplegic cerebral palsy which means she has spasticity in her legs. It’s difficult for her to balance and walk without support. She has to use a walker to get around

"She is very determined to walk in her walker at every opportunity, although this is tiring for her. She also goes horse riding every week which helps strengthen her core.”

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Jennifer added: “The SDR surgery will remove the spasticity in her legs and potentially allow Ella to walk independently.

"Rehabilitation after SDR is intensive but I want to give Ella that chance.”

Jennifer would also like to say a huge thank you to The Homes Removal Company in Glasgow who made sure Ella received a special needs trike for her birthday last week.

Jennifer said: “It was a second-hand trike but the seller was in Portsmouth. They had a job in London and offered to pick it up free and deliver it.”

Jennifer is fundraising through Tree of Hope, a crowdfunding charity that helps children with a disability or illness .

Donate at: https://www.treeofhope.org.uk/ellas-dream-to-walk/