Walking for Elliot: Raising money to help young Elliot's rehabilitation after life-changing surgery

Walkers stomped from Sherburn in Elmet to Castleford last weekend in the latest event to help raise cash for a youngster set to undergo life-changing surgery.

Elliot Kennedy from Pontefract is just four-years-old and suffers from Cerebral Palsy Spastic Diplegia, which affects the movement of his limbs.

He is set to undergo major surgery in November which could hopefully free up his legs and allow him to walk with greater ease.

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‘Treatment will make Ellliot a real superhero’The NHS has agreed to fund the operation, but thousands of pounds are needed to help his rehabilitation.

Around £4,000 has been collected in from almost 300 donators, and last Saturday’s 12-mile hike from the Elmete Social Club to the Boot Room pub on Castleford’s Wheldon Road saw another £2,000 added to the total.

His mother Hannah said: “It went fantastically well, I can’t believe the amount we collected and the amount of support we got.

“It was amazing, everyone we encountered on the way was supportive and we had offers of other people wanting to do events for us.”

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Elliot, who starts at Orchard Head Junior and Infants School this month, will undergo the potentially life-changing surgery called selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) on November 1.

It will eliminate the tightness in his muscles and allow him to move freely.

But the youngster will need intense physiotherapy afterwards.

“Raising the money will give us the chance to get him the physiotherapy, which will be between £75 and £100 per session, three times a week,” added Hannah.

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“He is never going to be 100 per cent but he can hopefully lead a full life and it won’t be as noticeable.

“He could be up jumping around with his friends and playing football.”

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