The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
Halle’s life-changing wish to come true
Life-changing surgery has been booked in for a brave girl thanks to the tireless fundraising of her parents who have raised close to £55,000 in just six months.
Fran Heriot said she was overwhelmed but shattered after closing in on the huge total in aid of four-year-old daughter Halle.
Halle, of Fenside Drive, Newborough, has cerebral palsy, bilateral spastic diplegia, and needs constant care for muscle stiffness and spasms.
She will now go under the knife for between five and eight hours to receive selective dorsal rhizotomy surgery at Great Ormond Street Hospital on August 15.
The treatment, which is not funded on the NHS, and follow-up physiotherapy, will help banish Halle’s pain and hopefully enable her to walk unaided for the first time.
Fran said: “It’s very overwhelming and fantastic that we have got to this point so soon. Regarding the operation we are very nervous. We’ve had days when it suddenly hits us like a brick wall.
“The reality of what’s about to happen is quite huge.
“We have to take the positives out of it as this is what we have been working towards.
“Halle is young enough to not remember what’s going on.”
Fran and husband Tim set up Halle’s Wish to raise the money for their daughter, and they have received huge support from the community.
Two weekends ago, a Dogsthorpe Fire Station Open Day raised £1,200 for Halle. Firefighter Phil Gould said: “It was nice to meet Halle and her family and hear where our money will go.
“Our open day is a community event and is always popular with the people of Peterborough. It is important to everyone at the station to put some of the money raised back into the local community.”
There was also a charity beer festival at The Ploughman in Werrington and a quiz night in Newborough, while the Court Pool and Snooker Club in Bretton played 1,328 frames in 24 hours to raise money.
In addition, the parents of Barnack youngster Jack Rickard, who had the same procedure as Halle, held a fun day, and The Tree Iron Golf Society handed over a £500 cheque at Peterborough Milton Golf Club.
Halle is now set to start at Newborough C of E Primary School in September, but she will need treatment every day from NHS and private physios.
Fran added: “For Halle to have a good life she needs to remain fit. We will pay for private physio for the rest of her childhood and we will then encourage her when she’s an adult to stay fit.”
The Heriots are now hoping to keep Halle’s Wish running in the future to help benefit other families.
To donate to Halle’s Wish, visit: http://www.treeofhope.org.uk/halleswish/.
‘It’s very overwhelming.’
Fran Heriot