Edinburgh schoolgirl ready to take first steps after parents were told she would never walk

After undergoing 10 gruelling surgeries the remarkable young girl has defied the odds

All little Oona Eudora Dooks wants is to run about like every other child she knows and join in with the fun.

And her family is attempting to raise £2000 to buy splints which will allow the determined six-year-old be able to be “just like her friends”.

Primary two pupil Oona, from Edinburgh, was born with a complex neurological condition and unable to move below the neck.

Hopeful: Oona's biggest dream is to run with her friends in the playground

The first ten weeks of Oona’s life were spent in intensive care and her parents were told she would never be able to walk, talk, eat or even “form thoughts”.

However, after undergoing ten gruelling rounds of surgery, the remarkable young girl has defied the odds and now aged six attends a mainstream school.

Her devoted parents, Ellie and Christopher, say their daughter loves singing, playing with her big brother Ivor, 10, and whizzing around in her little red wheelchair.

Ellie, 41, added that Oona has already achieved “far more” than was ever expected of her.

She said: “Oona’s progress has been amazing, especially when you compare it to the terrible prognosis we were given when she was born.

“She’s a very happy and determined little girl.”

However, since attending mainstream school Oona has become aware of her limitations and wants to run around the playground with all her friends.

Ellie added: “When I put her to bed the other night she told me, ‘Go and talk to daddy about my walking’.”

Over the lockdown period, Oona has come on “leaps and bounds” through intensive physiotherapy and has increased movement in her hamstrings.

Ellie and Christopher, 49, now think that their wee girl’s dream may be within grasp thanks to a type of splint which has seen her able to balance for more than a minute for the first time in her short life.

But keeping up with the £2000 splints, which need to be replaced about once a year as Oona grows, is well out of the family’s budget.

However, the Dooks family are determined to see their little girl walk and have partnered with charity Tree of Hope to fundraise to gather the funds needed.

Ellie said: “All she wants is to live as normal a life as possible.

“Friends, family and supporters have been very generous.

“Chris put out a music track he wrote and we did quite well with sales from that.

“But Oona’s expenses are ongoing and it is very difficult to fundraise with all the Covid-19 restrictions in place.

“We now have enough for Oona’s second pair of splints which is a huge relief – they make such a difference to her balance and what she is able to do. We’re hoping to go to London as soon as possible to get them fitted in case Covid makes travel more difficult again.”

Tree of Hope chief executive Gill Gibb said: “We’re really pleased to be supporting the Dooks family in their fundraising efforts for Oona and wish them all the best.”

To donate to Oona’s fundraising appeal, visit https://www.treeofhope.org.uk/one-small-step-oona/

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