NEWS that little Ayla-Mae Hemms will never be able to walk must have come as a devastating blow to her parents.

Mum Kelsey Jenkins and dad Leigh Hemms have been fundraising since last year and aimed to raise £100,000, much of which was to have been spent on what they hoped would be a life-changing operation in the USA involving stem-cell treatment to help their daughter walk.

But now they have learned more details of her condition, and that Ayla-Mae, who is not yet two, suffers from spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy and is profoundly deaf, would not benefit from that treatment.

However, the couple have come to terms with the recent news and have switched the focus of their fundraising.

They plan to continue fundraising and now hope to use the money raised – already a five-figure sum in total – to buy specialist equipment to make Ayla-Mae’s life as happy and comfortable as possible.

They have organised a black-tie event next month and people can get involved or simply donate to the fund via gofundme.com/5fm48g or facebook.com/aylamae.hemms

We wish them success in ensuring everything possible is done to help Ayla-Mae make the most of her life.