Oona has oodles of curls
Hair stylists Charlie Miller welcomed a very special client into its South St Andrew Street salon for a very well-deserved pampering.
Oona Dooks was born with cerebral palsy, a complex neurological condition which affects movement and coordination. Her condition went unnoticed until she was born with severe deformities in both of her feet, with dislocated hips, and no movement in her legs or her jaw. She spent ten weeks in the neonatal unit and her family were told not to expect her to walk, talk, eat or "form thoughts".
Now six, she is an unstoppable force. Last year, parts of Oona's feet and hamstrings became active for the first time, although doctors had thought they would be permanently paralysed.
Oona is at mainstream school in Portobello and she is signed to Zebedee Model Management. She has modelled for Marks & Spencer, and was a supporting actress in a BBC children’s drama.
Her dad Chris said: “I think the fact that she is sassy helps her. From when she was a baby, she was determined to move against all odds. This year in particular, especially throughout lockdown, she has made a huge amount of progress. We were able to purchase an inflatable spa for her, which she now uses every day, and we are already noticing huge differences in her movement just from spending time in the water. She sees it as fun and not strenuous exercise the way that other physio can be for her.”
Oona was delighted with her new look from Salon Stylist, Sophie Frame: “I really, really loved my hair going curly. The hairdryer wasn’t too loud, and Sophie was really nice. I feel so beautiful.”
Despite remarkable progress, her condition still affects almost every aspect of her daily life. Her family have set up Little Red Wheelchair to raise awareness and help others affected by the condition. Fundraising through Tree of Hope, will help support Oona’s ongoing treatment and development. Their biggest goal is to buy a "second skin" suit to help her reach her ambition to walk unaided.
www.treeofhope.org.uk/one-small-step-oona/