Maya is suffering too long

I've watched my child lay in hospital beds for far too long. No mother should see her baby having their tiny arms and legs injected, operated on and covered in casts.

I wipe my little girl's tears while she begs me to take her home, stroke her hair and pretend to be brave while I cry myself to sleep every night feeling absolutely helpless.

The day I gave birth was one that I looked forward too for what seemed like ages. I had no care in the world, what could go wrong when everything seems so perfect?! That same day I learned how fragile life is, how unpredictable, uncontrollable and full of not so nice surprises it can be in just one moment...

A moment of hypoxia has an irreversible effect on a baby’s life, that's another scary thing I learned that day....

The doctors were brilliant, gave us hope and said everything's going to be all right. Funny how this was literally enough for me to push all the negative thoughts, the facts and worse case scenarios to the back of my head. The test results will come later, they could be wrong...It couldn't happen to us. Not us.

When Maya was 3 months old the neurologist confirmed my worst nightmares, and what I already knew but pretended not to, she had Cerebral Palsy. We started the rehabilitation way before that final confirmation but this sounded as if she was sentenced.

We hoped Maya would be able to enjoy her toddlerhood amongst the other children as the hypoxia happened during labour and generally she didn't have many symptoms at the beginning. There are children who walk, run and talk after hypoxia at early stages. They need time and constant support but there was nothing we wouldn't be prepared to do! We believed it'll be the same with our precious little girl... even though month on month the signs were worsening, nothing was improving, nothing had changed to indicate she may become one of those lucky children.

4 years on and even though she can't walk, she's everywhere, she's curious of the world around her as she watches it from my arms. She can play and even try to run away from us in her walker. Even though she can't talk our house is filled with her laughter. She loves when we tell her jokes and she loves being cuddled so much. My heart is in pieces every time I think about how much suffering she already went through and how much is yet to come.

Her two major operations are already behind her, one when she was 2 years old, she had tenotony in her groin, which is cutting the muscles to increase control of her legs than this year she had a similar surgery on her arms and feet. After the first operation, when she was about 2 years of age she got the very best present she could ever get, which was her NF Walker.  Finally something we've been waiting for for so long. she stood up for the very first time! Only with this device but what a  success! Whatever we do she's in her NF Walker stood up with a big smile on her face. And after so many difficult days, months, years her smile is just priceless and I never want it to end!

How can you stay strong when your only child suffers so much? Life can be so cruel. How can this little innocent and pure human being deserve all this?

Apparently special children are born to special parents. I don't know if I'm special but my child is incredible unique to me and I will do anything and everything to help her.

Please help us raise the funds to continue with Maya's rehabilitation. Although we try to live like a normal family, we take her for walks, to see her friends and take to park, the rehabilitation is still a very big part of her life. A part we cannot continue without and unfortunately a very costly one. My only dream is to be able to continue this journey, this is why I need your help...

Eternally grateful

Maya's Parents