As Eve McGuire cuddles her baby brother she is waiting to find out if she can go ahead with the operation which will change her life.

Eleven-year-old Eve, who has Treacher Collins Syndrome, is hoping that scan results will allow her to have an operation on her jaw to remove the tracheotomy tube from her neck.

The tube allows her to breathe but it can get blocked, and there is an ever-present risk of infection, so Eve needs to have someone with her all the time who is ready to help in an emergency.

Eve, a pupil at West End School in Horsforth, was born with Treacher Collins Syndrome, which means that not enough bones formed in her face. She has no external ears, and can only hear thanks to an implanted hearing aid.

Two-and-a-half years ago her family launched a £100,000 appeal to pay for surgery by a top American specialist in New York.

And they were amazed at how quickly the money was raised to allow the operation to go ahead.

But the operation was delayed after it was decided that it would be better for Eve to have her recessed wisdom teeth removed first.

She had her teeth taken out last year and had a scan six months later to make sure the bone had grown enough.

Now she is waiting for the results of the scan which will show whether she can have the operation, which it is hoped will take place in America in March.

The operation will mean a stay of around six weeks, but if it goes ahead as planned, it will give Eve the chance to enjoy many everyday activities her friends take for granted, such as swimming and sleepovers.

Her mum Belinda, who lives in Yeadon and works for an estate agent, said with high school coming up in September, Eve couldn't wait for the freedom which the removal of the tracheotomy would give her.

Belinda said: "She will be at high school next year so hopefully she will get the tracheotomy tube out by then.

"She is quite a positive person, and she just wants to get rid of the tube now. It will give her a lot more independence.

"She wants to be able to go along to her friends' houses without me going along too."

In the meantime, Eve, who has a 16-year-old brother Daniel, is enjoying mothering her five-and-a-half month old baby brother Soloman.

Belinda said: "She is absolutely lovely with him. He absolutely adores her. She is such a good girl and she is so good with him."

Eve, who is planing to go to Benton Park School in September, has already made several trans-atlantic trips to see leading Treacher Collins specialist Dr Joe McArthy, who is based in New York.