This is our gorgeous girl, Molly, born on 30th September 2010. She’s now a funny, determined, and incredibly caring 4-year-old who brings so much joy to our lives.

Molly’s Story

Molly was born 8 weeks premature. Her early arrival was necessary due to her mum’s kidney failure caused by a long-term condition. The pregnancy was extremely challenging, and it was the safest option for both Molly and her mum that she be born early.

Despite being delivered under intensive precautions, Molly arrived naturally, weighing just 4lb 4oz. She stayed in SCBU for five long weeks until she was strong enough to feed independently and had gained enough weight to come home.

Once home, Molly seemed to thrive, and everything appeared normal at first. However, as time went on, we began noticing delays in her development. We attributed this to her prematurity and didn’t think much of it initially.

At around 18 months old, Molly took her first few steps. A few months later, she grew more confident on her feet, but we noticed her left foot curling inward, and she began walking more and more on her toes.

The Diagnosis

In February 2013, we visited a health visitor about Molly’s toe walking, and she referred us to a physiotherapist. By April, we were attending regular physiotherapy sessions every other week.

The physiotherapist, however, suspected something more serious and referred Molly to a paediatrician.

In late April 2013, after developmental tests and a review of her history, Molly was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy (CP). The news came as a complete shock. We were devastated and didn’t fully understand what CP was. We had assumed her toe walking was just a quirky habit she’d grow out of. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case.

Molly’s CP is the result of brain damage, either during or shortly after birth, which has affected her brain’s ability to send the correct messages to her feet.

How CP Affects Molly

Molly now walks entirely on her toes, and although she can sometimes place her right foot flat, her left foot remains very stiff and deteriorates further with time. It takes tremendous effort for her to place her left foot flat, and even then, it’s only for a few seconds.

Here’s how CP affects Molly’s day-to-day life:

Mobility Challenges: Molly can’t run easily, struggles to keep up with her peers, and cannot hop or jump without support.

Climbing & Balance Issues: She finds stairs difficult to climb without holding on, and getting up from a sitting position is a challenge.

Fatigue & Falls: Walking on her toes requires double the effort of an able-bodied child, leaving her extremely tired. When fatigued, her balance worsens, and she falls more frequently.

Limited Activities: Molly loves the idea of playing on a trampoline but becomes frustrated because jumping is so hard for her.

Although Molly is too young to understand her diagnosis, she knows she’s different from other children. We work hard to remind her that it’s okay to be different—that’s what makes the world so special.

Why We’re Fundraising

We’ve discovered a potentially life-changing procedure called Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy (SDR) at St. Louis Children’s Hospital in Missouri, USA.

This operation, led by Dr. Park, can reduce or eliminate the spasticity in Molly’s legs. With hard work and post-operative therapy, it could significantly improve her mobility, prevent further stiffness, and reduce the likelihood of her needing walking aids or a wheelchair in the future.

Dr. Park is a world-renowned expert in SDR surgery, and as its founder, he has a 100% success rate with this procedure. For Molly, we want nothing but the best.

What’s Involved

To ensure the best possible outcome, Molly will need:

Pre-operation physiotherapy to build her strength.

SDR surgery in the USA with Dr. Park.

Intensive post-operative physiotherapy.

Equipment to aid her recovery and improve her mobility.

The total cost for the surgery, therapy, and associated expenses is £50,000.

While SDR is available in the UK, the criteria for eligibility is much stricter due to funding limitations. Choosing Dr. Park’s team ensures Molly receives the most advanced care from the pioneers of this life-changing surgery.

How You Can Help

Please help us raise the funds needed to give Molly the chance to walk pain-free, enjoy her childhood, and live an independent, fulfilling life.

Here’s how you can get involved:

Visit our website for more information: www.mollyswish.co.uk

Follow us on Facebook at Molly’s Wish—like and share to help spread the word.

Your support, whether through a donation or simply sharing our story, means the world to us. Together, we can help Molly achieve her dream of walking without pain and living life to the fullest.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read Molly’s story.

With love,

Nicola and Phill Roots

(Molly’s Mummy and Daddy)

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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.