Francesca Hughes is 9 years old and lives in Northampton.

Francesca was an "extreme preemie" arriving three months prematurely and was not expected to survive the night. A fighter from the beginning, she endured a very difficult extended stay in intensive care and eventually came home without oxygen proving us and all her doctors wrong.

When Francesca was eighteen months old we were given the devastating news that she had Cerebral Palsy and we should keep our expectations "low". Cerebral Palsy is the result of damage to the area of the brain that controls muscle tone and movement in the arms and legs. No two people with Cerebral Palsy are the same, it is as individual as people themselves.

Francesca's legs are affected and she is unable to walk unaided. The muscles in her legs are very tight and can be painful. Her natural instinct is to walk on her tip toes so she has to wear orthotic splints to keep her heels flat on the floor. Francesca uses a walking frame at school or a wheelchair for longer distances.

In January this year we heard about a new procedure performed in the USA called Selective Dorsal Rhitzotomy. The procedure which is not available in the UK involves cutting the problematic or 'bad' nerve fibres in the spine eliminating the spasticity and giving much greater range of movement. After the surgery, Francesca will be able to walk with sticks, her sitting, standing and balance will improve and without the tightness in her legs she will have no more pain and discomfort.

It is a major operation costing US$51,000 but will be potentially life changing for Francesca. We are booked for surgery on 1st July and are now fundraising to achieve this huge target.

Click on the link to a brief radio interview with Caroline Hughes. Go in at 40 mins 40 seconds.