West Norfolk Rotarians donate for Terrington St Clement girl Scarlett Cole to have life-changing treatment

Inspired by the incredible fundraising efforts of seven-year-old Scarlett Cole's family, four local Rotary Clubs have banded together to raise a further £3,300 for her to have life-changing treatment.

Scarlett, who lives at Terrington St Clement, has tri-plegic cerebral palsy, and she urgently needs a vital operation on her spinal cord at Liverpool’s Alder Hay children’s hospital to relieve her muscle stiffness and pain.

Thanks to their amazing fundraising efforts, the family and their community have raised the initial £17,000 needed to cover the cost of this operation, which is not available on the NHS, and Scarlett’s operation has been scheduled for early next year.

Following that, Scarlett will then need intensive physiotherapy, using specially adapted equipment, for the next two years.

To help with these costs, the Rotary Club of King’s Lynn Priory have donated £2,000, Downham Rotary have added £300 and King’s Lynn and King’s Lynn Trinity Rotaries have contributed £250 each.

In addition, the King’s Lynn General Charities have responded to a request from Priory Rotary and added a further £500.

Thanking the clubs, parents Leanne and Daniel, said: "We are so grateful for these donations, which will enable us to set up equipment at home so Scarlett can have daily physio without the need to travel.

"She is a very determined little girl and will work hard to get the best possible benefit from her physio regime.”

Leanne told the Lynn News: “We never imagined we would manage to reach this figure when we started fundraising. There are so many people to thank.

"The sooner Scarlett gets her operation the better and we are hoping that it will go ahead early next year.”

Scarlett is unable to walk and has the use of only her right arm but she still goes to mainstream school and is full of energy and enthusiasm.

Last year, after an appeal in the Lynn News and one on Facebook, enough money was raised to buy her a more user-friendly wheelcahir to enable her to get out and about more easily with her parents and brother Archie.

The latest fundraising efforts continue, to ensure Scarlett can continue to receive the physio she needs.

To donate, go to https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/scarlettscpjourney

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