Abigail Newton Smith, the young cerebral palsy sufferer from Bradley Stoke who travelled to the USA for an operation that it is hoped will help her get around without a wheelchair, has had her first physiotherapy session just three days after undergoing the selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) procedure at the St Louis Children’s Hospital.
Local people and businesses rallied round to raise the £36,000 required to pay for Abigails’s travel and operation in response to the Footsteps 4 Abigail appeal started by her parents Carrie and Tim Newton Smith.
Writing on the appeal’s blog, Carrie and Tim say the physiotherapist was “really pleased with Abigail’s dedication on her first day”.
The blog also includes photos and short video clips taken before and after the operation.
Abigail has also started her own blog: Abigail’s Thoughts
The strong-willed nine-year-old was featured in a BBC1 Inside Out West documentary [viewable here on YouTube] before leaving for the operation and a follow up report, including footage from the USA, is planned for a future programme.
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