AN INSPIRATIONAL little girl is preparing for a life-changing operation this week which will help her take her first unaided steps.

Layla Moger, who lives in Toothill, was born with Spastic Diplegia Cerebral Palsy which affects the movement of her legs and left arm. It is hoped an operation, called a selective dorsal rhizotomy, will allow the resilient four-year-old to walk unaided for the first time.

The complex operation along with two years of aftercare costs £60,000 which is not currently funded by the NHS.

After her loving parents Kelly Smith and Joe Moger launched the Steps For Layla campaign, nearly £30,000 was raised.

This means Layla will finally undergo the six-hour operation at Bristol Royal Hospital for Children this Friday.

Kelly said she was feeling a mixture of emotions in the run-up to the monumental day.

“I’m a little bit nervous but so excited for Layla. This will give her the independence that we have wanted for her for so long and I can’t wait for her to be able to walk unaided,” she said.

“I get emotional thinking about it, it will be amazing to see her walk independently for the first time in her life. After the operation she will lose around 80 per cent of her spasticity (muscle stiffness) and with rehabilitation she will improve in the months and years to come.

“I want Layla to have the quality of life that she doesn’t have at the moment, I want her to have her independence and I think the operation can give her that.”

At the moment, the sparky youngster relies upon a K-walker and a wheelchair to get out and about.

The selective dorsal rhizotomy loosens tangles of nerves at the base of the spine that have been damaged in a child who was starved of oxygen at birth. The tangled nerves cause leg muscles to stiffen, making walking painful or impossible.

The Westlea Pre-School pupil has been treated to a special story by her parents as they try to prepare her for the vital surgery

“I bought her a special book to help her understand why she needs to go to hospital to have the surgery,” said Kelly,”she thinks she’s going to the hospital to have a dragon removed from her spine so she’s excited about it being done.”

Layla will stay in hospital for around six weeks before intensive physiotherapy begins.

The fundraisers are determined to get to the £60,000 mark to continue to fund Layla’s aftercare and rehabilitation.

“I am so grateful to everyone that has supported us so far. It has got us to this point. When we first started fundraising I couldn’t think that far ahead. But now we’re here it is an amazing feeling,” said Kelly. For information search Steps For Layla on Facebook or email stepsforlayla@outlook.com