A MUM is hoping to raise £20,000 for life-changing surgery for her son, who was born with cerebral palsy.

Shellie Dickinson, of Wyke, hopes crowdfunding will raise enough money to pay for the surgery that will help 23-year-old Jake Barker do what most people take for granted.

Despite operations on tendons in his heels, having his hamstrings done twice and having his hip muscles lengthened once, as well as his big toes aligned, all before his 16th birthday, Jake still struggles to walk.

Surgeons in America have been performing a procedure that involves cutting the nerves in the lower spine to relax the muscles in the legs, but it is still fairly new in the UK and cannot be carried out on the NHS, said Mrs Dickinson.

But the family have found a surgeon in Leeds who is prepared to consider Jake for the procedure – called Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy – although it will be the first time he has operated on a cerebral palsy patient as old as him.

“Usually it’s four or five-year-olds but we’ve been told Jake is a candidate for the surgery and we have a consultation later this month. We are pinning our hopes on it. It would be life-changing but to achieve this goal we have to raise the money first,” said Mrs Dickinson, whose employers at Bibby Financial Services in Cleckheaton have pledged to help.

Consultant neurosurgeon John Goodden said although the procedure was not available on the NHS, Leeds General Infirmary had worked out how much the hospital needed to deliver it "at cost" to the family.

"I've been doing this procedure since October 2012 and since then I've operated on 77 children aged from two-and-a-half to 14 and they have all had good outcomes. We've not had any complications, so it's been very successful.

"Potentially for Jake it would be lifechanging, we've seen about 40 per cent improvement in physical activity in other patients. Because they have been younger and smaller they have been up and about quite quickly but because Jake is taller and heavier the surgery will be more difficult and complicated. It will also be a bigger challenge for him post-surgery. He'll need a lot more strength to move his legs around but the procedure will remove the stiffness.

"Without the crowdfunding Jake would have to wait atleast two years maybe longer before having the operation for free on the NHS. A decision is about mid-way to deciding if this specific procedure will be made available on the NHS or not. Data is still being looked at. Even if it's approved it would be atleast 2018."

To help bring in funds for Jake's surgery, Mrs Dickinson will be taking on the Yorkshire Three Peaks later this year and her husband, Mark Dickinson, will be running the Leeds Half Marathon.

Other fundraising ideas include Jake, who is a massive music fan, organising and selling tickets for a special DJ night.

Jake has fought for his health since birth when he was eight weeks premature and needed life support. Despite his mum’s concerns about him not walking, he was only diagnosed with cerebral palsy at two-and-half-years-old.

Cerebral palsy affects muscle control and movement and is usually caused by an injury to the brain before, during or after birth.

“It’s been tough for him. He does not want to see himself as disabled. He wants to have a life like the majority of us take for granted,” said Mrs Dickinson.

“If we can get the money for his surgery, then he’s got a chance.

“It will change his life now and in the future.”

To make a donation, visit justgiving.com/crowdfunding/markshellie-dickinson.

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