No one can tell the story of Ava better than her mother, Liz....

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Ava is our seven year old treasure. She as born six weeks prematurely, initially appearing perfectly healthy but at 10 days old our world fell apart when she was diagnosed with hydrocephalus which caused a life threatening build up of fluid in her brain. An infection had caused damage throughout every section of her brain, damaging her eyes and leaving her blind. Ava went on to be diagnosed with cerebral palsy, which effects all her limbs and she is epileptic.

Ava initially coped very well with her condition and was making slow and steady progress. She had learnt to sit independently, stand with support, was able to feed herself and say "mum, dad and Nan". In March  2011 Ava's shunt blocked.  fluid built up in her brain and misdiagnosis meant a delay in treatment . When Ava recovered from surgery we realised she had lost all the skills she had fought so hard to  get and seizures were taking control of her life, making progress incredibly difficult . It took two years to stabilise Ava after this trauma but she started to fight back and we started to recognise the little girl we had had.

In the summer of 2013, we learnt that Ava's left hip had dislocated. Her right hip was also compromised. Our dreams of seeing her stand again were shattered!

We had heard about the Adeli medical Centre through one of Ava's friends who has been making regular trips and has made remarkable progress and we wondered if they could help Ava. In September 2013 we took Ava for a two week course of intensive rehabilitation. It was like nothing she had ever done before and  there were moments where we worried if we had even done the right thing but within 48hours we could see a difference! At the end of the stay Ava graduated. She had worked incredibly hard and we were all extremely proud. The results were  staggering and testament to all her hard work. They had reduce the spasticity in her legs by over 50%! Her legs, that had been locked together for so long were able to open 8cm wide and she was able to wrap her legs around my waist for the first time in years! Her posture was amazing, awareness and responsiveness increased. It was like being given back the little girl we had lost years ago. 

Since that first trip, Ava has returned to Adeli regularly.  Each trip has brought new gifts, it's increased Ava's levels of awareness and understanding, decreased the number of seizures she endures, improved concentration and listening skills, increased speech sounds, increased upper body strength enabling her to hug us for the first time and opened up neurological pathways that have enabled her to laugh! The most magical gift so far!

On 22nd Novemeber 2014 Ava said Mummy for the first time! 

Our initial target was to raise enough funds to take Ava to adeli 3 times per year, over a two year period but due to the generosity of so many amazing people we have now been able to increase our fundraising target to a three year campaign. We still have so many dreams for Ava, that have not yet been realised and Adeli is helping make these dreams come true! 

The Adeli medical Centre in Slovakia is one of Europe's leading institutions specialising in child neuro-rehabilitation. The biggest benefit for every patient is the highly intensive customised therapy programme and the extensive care. Ava receives treatment for five hours a day, six days per week by a multidisciplinary team compromising of doctors, therapists, massage therapists and speech therapists. Basically 5-7 health professionals deal with Ava , on a daily basis.  she receives speech therapy, massage,laser  therapy, physiotherapy and more! For more info please go to www.adeli-method.com

We are also now in the enviable position of being able to access some home based therapy for Ava, thanks to the team at Kids Physio works in Colchester. this will support ava in between her trips to Adeli and will enable her to still access some therapy during the winter months when its too cold to travel to Slovakia and when her health doesn't permit rounds of such intensive therapy. This will help ensure has access to therapy all year round and has only been possible due to the incredible support we have had so huge thanks to everyone! your support means the absolute world to us! 

Should we exceed the target amount (or if we do not raise enough funds, or if they cannot be used for any other reason) the funds raised will go to the general funds of Tree of Hope to assist other sick children.