Hi I am Brody and I live with my big brother and my Mum and Dad. I am eight years old and I go to school in Hedge End.

I was born with Cerebral Palsy which is a form of brain damage. I have spastic diplegia which affects all of the muscles in my body but mostly my legs. It includes muscle tone, muscle control, co-ordination and balance. I wear splints on my legs and have to use my wheelchair for distances, otherwise I am in great pain. It affects my arms so I am unable to swim and I need to use a computer at school.

I am going to have an operation in the next year at Great Ormond Street called Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy - S.D.R. This will help reduce spasticity and improve my muscle tone. It will change my life.

I will be able to ride a bike and run and keep up with my friends. I am really looking forward to playing football with my brother and cousins.

We need to raise £34000 for my rehabilitation as this is not included on the NHS. I will have to learn to walk again and so will need intensive therapies and other related equipment to help me.

I would love the chance to be more independent and lead an active pain-free life and this operation will enable me to do that.

Thank you for anything that you can give to help me on my journey to becoming the active little boy I have always wanted to be.

7.5% of all donations to Tree of Hope in relation to this appeal will be allocated to the general charitable purposes of Tree of Hope to cover our core operating costs.

If we raise insufficient funds, or surplus funds, then the funds will be used, if appropriate, to fund support for our child’s needs in accordance with Tree of Hope’s charitable objects. If in those circumstances we are unable to use all or part of the funds for the benefit of our child in accordance with Tree of Hope’s charitable objectives, then any funds that cannot be used will be transferred to be used for the general charitable purposes of Tree of Hope.