Annabelle was born 6 weeks early on 1 of November 2016 in West Sussex. As a result of complications around the time of her birth she suffered a lack of oxygen and as a result has Cerebral Palsy in all four of her limbs.

Annabelle received her diagnosis around the time of her first birthday. We spent the first few years following her diagnosis coming to terms with what it meant and learning to accept that she was not and would not meet the usual 'milestones' at the same time her peers. We spent hours upon hours researching things that would help her with those small things that come so easily to others, like sitting, standing and walking independently.

Fundraising with Just4Children enabled Annabelle to have a surgery called Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy in January 2021 which was not available for her on the NHS. The surgery involved cutting the sensory nerve fibres which were sending incorrect signals to her brain. It also enabled her to have up to 5 physiotherapy, hydrotherapy and strength and conditioning sessions per week for the first year after surgery and enabled her to continue to receive regular therapy throughout 2022 and 2023.

In March 2023, Annabelle underwent a further surgery (this time NHS funded), this surgery was a bilateral proximal femoral osteotomy on her hips at just 6 years of age, however, the NHS did not provide her with any postop physiotherapy and this was something we had to organise and fund. After every surgery she has, post op physiotherapy is essential to help her regain the muscle strength and mobility she had pre op and to maximise the gains post op.

We have decided to set up a new page to continue to raise funds for Just4Children to provide all the ongoing therapy and specialist equipment Annabelle needs to enable her the greatest chance of independence in the future. Unfortunately, we are unable to rely on the support of the NHS and our local services as they simple do not provide the level of therapy she requires to keep her mobile and to prevent her mobility from deteriorating. All the therapies she attends collectively are helping and will continue to help increase Annabelle’s strength with the ultimate goal of greater mobility and independence.

The journey Annabelle is on is a life journey. Therapy and equipment are expensive, but our little girl deserves the small things we all take for granted, to sit unaided, to stand and to walk.

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