A MOTHER’S campaign to raise £40,000 to pay for an operation that will change her daughter’s life has raised £3,000.

In August, Helen Morgan, 30, of Cornwallis Way, Monmouth, told the Argus that Chase Vaughan, six, needs a procedure not funded by the NHS in Wales to save her from relying on a wheelchair.

Chase suffers from a debilitating nerve-muscle condition known as spastic diplegia cerebral palsy, which means she walks on her toes, has stiffness in her legs and poor balance and co-ordination.

Miss Morgan, a selfemployed accountant, fears her mobility could deteriorate if she does not undergo a procedure known as selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) to help avoid further muscle deterioration and stiffness.

The procedure uses a technique developed in St Louis, USA, and involves making an incision in the spine to divide nerve roots that contribute to the spasticity.

Miss Morgan said the response from local people and businesses in making donations and offering to help organise events has helped her reach the £3,000 mark in less than a month.

Forthcoming fundraising events include a climb up the Sugarloaf mountain, near Abergavenny, on September 30, an evening at the Hogs Head, Llanvetherine, with special guest Pontypool Elvis impersonator Darren Jones on October 13, and a sponsored walk from Tintern to Chepstowwith four pick-up points on October 28.

For details, visit A Big Wish for Chase on Facebook or call Miss Morgan on 01600 712856.