An Angus couple are one step closer to realising their dream of seeing their twin daughters walk after a campaign to send them to the US for life-changing surgery raised £5000 in under two weeks.
Carnoustie mother Averil Fleming and her partner Frazer Hirsch have been “overwhelmed” by the support which has flooded in for two-year-old Ayley and Chloe, who suffer from cerebral palsy and face a life of immobility unless they undergo a highly specialist procedure to eliminate the pain and spasticity in their limbs.
However a special thank you was reserved for Perthshire boy Jack McNaughton’s parents Stacy and Graham who, as we reported, have been helping the family co-ordinate their already highly successful fund-raising drive.
Averil and Frazer have planned a series of events in a bid to raise the £80,000 needed to send both girls to St Louis Children’s Hospital in Missouri, where Jack had treatment.
Averil said, “The support and advice we’ve received from Graham and Stacy has been absolutely fantastic. We spent Sunday with them at Jack and his sister’s christening and the girls had an absolutely brilliant time they were all playing away together.
“I’ve been reading about families all across Britain who have had this operation and it’s actually made me cry when I look at the amazing progress the children have all made.
“When the girls were diagnosed I never ever thought anything like this would be possible. But to think they might walk one day is incredible although I would never have known this operation was available if I hadn’t read about Jack.”
Averil and Frazer have now enlisted the help of a fund-raising committee to help them reach their target. Among the events being organised are a sportsmans’ dinner and charity football match spearheaded by Averil’s father, former Dundee footballer Ian Fleming.
Averil added, “I want to get this done as quickly as possible and I’ll spend Christmas in America if I have to. Seeing the girls walk would be the best Christmas present ever.
“I’d love them to walk down the aisle with me at our wedding in October but maybe that’s being a bit too hopeful.”