Five-year-old's £45,000 wish to walk campaign backed by Blackburn Rovers' David Dunn (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Five-year-old's £45,000 wish to walk campaign backed by Blackburn Rovers' David Dunn

6:00am Tuesday 27th September 2011 in Rishton By Emma Cruces, Reporter

LITTLE FIGHTER Ellie Leathert gets the support of Blackburn Rovers star David Dunn

A FIVE-YEAR-OLD girl who doctors predicted would never even sit up is bidding to travel to America for surgery so she can walk unaided.

Ellie Leathert’s efforts to raise £45,000 are being backed by Blackburn Rovers star David Dunn.

The Rishton youngster, who suffers from cerebral palsy, has already made ‘astonishing’ progress after taking her first steps with the aid of a walker.

But now her family is aiming to raise the cash for a life-changing operation.

Ellie and her twin brother Alfie were born prematurely at 27 weeks, with Ellie weighing just 2lb 6oz and Alfie weighing 2lb 9oz. Like one in three babies born prematurely, Ellie suffers from cerebral palsy, though her twin brother is in good health.

In spite of predictions that Ellie would not be able to sit upright, speak and would have to wear nappies throughout her life, the youngster is thriving on all counts and attending mainstream school.

The St Peter and St Paul's Primary pupil can take steps with the aid of a walker, but her family and supporters, including soccer ace David, are hoping to raise enough funds for her to take her first steps unaided.

Her parents Justine Wallace, 37 and Matthew Leathert, 31, said that if Ellie can undergo the operation at the hospital in St Louis, it would correct involuntary spasms, which prevent her from walking unaided.

Mum Justine, a gym instructor at St Mary’s College, Blackburn, and former captain of Blackburn Rovers Ladies, said: “When she was six months old I knew there was something wrong because she didn’t pick her head up or do things the same as Alfie. She wasn’t diagnosed until she was 16 months though. They told us that she woudn’t even be able to sit up by herself - but look at her now.

“We do physiotherapy, but only once every three months. Most of her progress just comes from day to day stuff. We push her to do things for herself and her progress has been amazing.

“We are excited about the prospect of the operation because it has a high success rate. Obviously though, £45,000 is an awful lot of money.”

Blackburn Rovers favourite David and his friend and business partner John Magee have also pledged the support of their charity, STREETS - Sports To Radically Encourage Everyone To Succeed - and donated a Rovers shirt to kick off the fundraising bid.

David said: “We are happy to support the family. Ellie has come so far. She deserves everyone’s support”. John Magee added: “Myself and David were happy to get involved. If Ellie can get this operation, it will be life changing for her.”

The St Louis Children’s Hospital are specialists in the operation, known as Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy. SDR involves cutting sensory nerve fibres that come from the muscles and enter the spinal cord.

The neurosurgeon then stimulates each nerve root electrically to identify which ones cause spasticity. They are then selectively cut, leaving the normal ones intact.

Though it is a long and complex neurosurgical procedure, with risks of paralysis and sensory loss, specialists at the hospital have performed more than 1,800 SDR operations on children and adults, with a 100 per cent success rate.

Family and friends have got fundraising off to a start with a 28-mile trek between Blackpool and Rishton, with an after-party being held to welcome the walkers at the Station Pub.

The walkers are hoping to raise £8,000 towards the family’s goal.

To support the fundraising bid, donate to the Ellie Leathert fund at Natwest under sortcode 01-00-85, account number 14623714. For further information please call 07970465459 or 07841920784.