The family of a disabled schoolgirl from Forest Hill are holding an art and craft day to raise £5,000 for her new wheelchair
Eight-year-old Millie Ansett suffers from a form of spina bifida called myelomeningocele which means she can’t walk or control the bottom half of her body.
In August, Millie’s mum Irene, 34, launched a bid to buy her daughter a TiLite Twist chair so she could practice tricks and flips.
“Millie absolutely loves skateparks. Her hero is Aaron Fotheringham who was the first person to do a wheelchair backflip in a skatepark,” Mrs Ansett told News Shopper last month.
After hosting a coffee morning as part of the fundraiser, the Ansett family managed to collect £806 towards the wheelchair.
“We don’t have a lot of money and it’s been quite hard to raise the funds. I think it’s a high target,” Mrs Ansett said.
She has now organised a Day of Creativity featuring local artists on October 5 from 3-6pm at Bonhoeffer Church on Dacre Road to try and make up the rest of the cash.
“Millie goes to a club at the church called the Popcorn Club on Wednesday evenings. They do games and different sporting games and activities for her,” Mrs Ansett, who has two other disabled children, said.
The family hopes to raise the money for the TiLite wheelchair by January, when she will undergo a seven hour operation on her bladder and bowel.
As well as not being able to control her lower body, Millie also suffers from anxiety at school.
“She is sensitive and she takes things to heart,” her mum explained.
However, the aspiring wheelchair skateboarder does not let her condition get her down, and is a keen athlete at S-Factor Academy in Ladywell, which runs inclusive activities.
“She won four medals recently but she’s struggling to go fast in the wheelchair she has at the moment.
“With the new chair she’ll be able to move around quicker and be like her idols.”
Since announcing the ‘Day of Creativity’ on a community Facebook group, Mrs Ansett has received dozens of donation offers for the event.
“I feel so happy - we have so much support out there for her,” she said.
“Millie’s getting very excited at the thought of the new chair.”
