Brave Chloe walking unaided

Twelve-year-old Chloe New, of Fleetwood, has just returned from America where she met with surgeons who gave her the chance to do something it was feared she might never be able to accomplish – to walk.

She had a procedure called a selective dorsal rhizotomy operation on her spine last year at the Missouri Children’s Hospital after fund-raising brought in a huge £60,000 to pay for specialist surgery and aftercare.

And it has been a long journey but now Chloe is walking around the house unaided and only using walking sticks when out and about.

Proud mum Angela said: “The first appointment was to take measurements to compare how well Chloe’s muscles can stretch from 12 months ago.

“Then we went to see Dr Park. He told us before the operation that eventually Chloe would be able to walk unaided but he was really pleased to see that she is already doing it.

“Improvements can continue for two to three years after the operation, so she has done amazingly well in 12 months. Progress will level out, however.”

Chloe still needs her mum or dad, Terry, when she walks at home, for confidence reasons but, out of the house, walking with sticks only is a huge milestone.

Chloe is also learning how to dry herself after a shower and dress herself, too, simple everyday things which she has never been able to do before.

Angela added: “We are over the moon.

“She will continue her physiotherapy and I’m helping with that, to stretch funding as much as possible.”