Support Sebastian on October 1

Sebastian Skinner’s family hope to raise £75,000 to pay for a life-changing operation currently not available on the NHS.

Mum Selina and dad Leigh, who live on Milton Close in Bilton, say an SDR operation would change Sebastian’s life, allowing him to run, jump and play like other children.

Selina said: “We have now met two other families from Harrogate whose children had the SDR operation.

“It has been great to hear their stories and good for Sebastian to meet their children and understand what the operation will do for him. It is great to see the difference in them, they are doing really well.”

Earlier this month Selina was told the heartbreaking news that Sebastian’s condition had worsened and he was no longer able to wear leg splints.

She said: “He has started to wake up in the night in pain. It is inevitable as he grows but this last week it has got worse, he wakes up crying and says, ‘Mummy my legs hurt.’ It is very upsetting to see him in pain.”

Despite his difficulties, Sebastian, who turns four on Christmas Eve is a happy, sociable little boy who enjoys playing with friends at Brackenfield nursery.

Selina said: “Despite all this he has still got a smile on his face, he is still a happy boy, he is getting more and more tired as it gets harder to walk but he is smiling.”

Sebastian’s little sister, Darcy, turns one next month. Selina said: “When we took her for a check up Sebastian was handing out wrist bands and telling the ladies about Standing with Sebastian.”

So far the Standing with Sebastian fundraising campaign has raised £13,000, though the family still have a long way to go.

Selina said: “So many people are now coming forward to help, people are organising cake sales, plant sales, parties, raffles lots of little events which are all coming together, it is fantastic.

“It is touching to think so many people who have never met us before are doing things to help us. We had a pub quiz recently and a joiner raffled off two days work for us, raising £200, that is two days of his own time he is willing to give up to help Sebastian, it’s quite amazing.”

The pub quiz at The Black Swan pub in Burn Bridge raised £2,500 and Selina and Leigh are encouraging other businesses, schools and community groups to fundraise for Standing with Sebastian on World Cerebral Palsy Day on October 1.

One school who have got on board is Glasshouses Community School.

Dad Leigh said: “One of the pupils at Glasshouses School has a cousin who had the operation a few years ago. The school have really got behind it all the children in one class have been set homework to think of fundraising ideas, one student is doing a sponsored cartwheel day, the school is having a non-uniform day it is fantastic.”

How to donate to Standing with Sebastian.

Visit www.justgiving.com/standingwithseb/ to donate online.

Cheque - Make sure to write Sebastian Skinner on the back of the cheque and make it out to Tree of Hope. Post to:

Jeremy Marris

Tree of Hope

43a Little Mount Sion

Royal Tunbridge Wells

Kent

TN1 1YP

Or Text SEBS75 Amount (e.g £10) to 70070.