A FAMILY from Torfaen will jet to the US later this year after raising funds towards a life-changing operation for a five-year-old boy.

Jessica Hope, of Garndiffaith, launched the Lincoln’s Legs appeal last year to help raise £100,000 for her son who has cerebral palsy.

Lincoln’s proposed operation, a spinal dorsal rhizotomy, would be followed by years of physiotherapy and without it, he would be likely to spend his life in a wheelchair.

After raising more than £50,000 through several fundraisers - including a charity show by top comic Frankie Boyle - the operation date is set.

The procedure will take place at St Louis Children’s Hospital in Missouri under surgeon TS Park on April 3 and costs around £33,000.

The family will also face additional costs of £5,000 for accommodation and travel and around £45,000 for post-operative physiotherapy.

Jessica and Richard Hope, both 39, said: “We’re excited that we are doing something positive to hopefully change Lincoln's life forever but at the same time nervous about the operation.

“Lincoln just says he is going on a big aeroplane to America for some new legs.”

“We never could never have dreamt that we would have managed to raise so much in such little time.”

After surgery, Lincoln will have to “re-teach his legs to walk”, she said, with a recovery journey of around five years to strengthen muscles in his legs.

This will include three weeks of sessions in the US and further care in the UK.

“Without this physiotherapy the operation will have been useless and in turn will make his daily life worse,” Mrs Hope said.

“So as you can see it is vital to raise the remainder of the money to make sure Lincoln can be as strong as possible to give him the best chance of a life without a wheelchair.”

To help raise more money towards the fund, the family have also arranged another charity event ‘Lets Sing for Lincoln’ at St David’s Hall in Cardiff.

The charity gala will take place on, March 24 and will include several choirs and solo singers.

For more information on the ‘Lets Sing for Lincoln’ event, visit stdavidshallcardiff.co.uk.