Hartlepool parents of 'amazing' daughter with cerebral palsy launch fundraising campaign for life-boosting therapies

Willow's family and supporters recently held a charity football fundraiser.

James and Emma Riggall, from Hartlepool, are trying to raise thousands of pounds to pay for specialist therapies and equipment so two-year-old Willow can have as much independence as possible.

Born 10 weeks premature, Willow was formally diagnosed with the lifelong condition when she was aged one-and-a-half.

The happy youngster cannot walk or stand unaided, and instead gets around with her own style of crawling and rolling.

Emma and James Riggall with their children Willow, two, and Ollie aged six.

Mum Emma, 36, said: “The cerebral palsy mostly affects her physically. She needs quite a lot of support.

"Willow gets physiotherapy through the NHS and we are lucky to have that.

"We would like her to be able to walk independently. If she can do more than that it will be amazing.

"If she needs to be in a wheelchair, so be it.”

Willow also has additional therapies and equipment that are not provided by the NHS but which come at a cost.

James and Emma, also parents to six-year-old Ollie, have started holding fundraising activities and also launched a crowdfunding page at GoFundMe with a target of £15,000 to pay for these.

They include MAES therapy, which stands for Movement Analysis Education Strategies, and focuses on developing a child’s underdeveloped coordination processes and help them to develop the skills necessary to perform the processes and therefore tasks.

Willow has also tried Conductive Education, a task-based method of learning, and ABM which helps to ‘rewire’ the brain following injury.

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Emma added: “We know anecdotally from other families that have done these therapies that they have been really helpful for them.

“When I read about MAES it was something that made sense to me, because it’s something newer and different to traditional physio.

"We would also really like to look at giving Willow hydrotherapy.”

James and Emma also hope to buy Willow a wedge designed to hold a child's leg apart and helps to maintain muscle length over time as a child grows.

They would also like to get a vibration plate that help children with cerebral palsy with their balance, core stability and muscle spasticity.

People can support the fund by searching for Willow’s Journey at gofundme.com.