The parents of brain-damaged Jodie Nicholls, who suffers from a rare condition only affecting another 120 youngsters nationally, have made a heartfelt appeal for help.

Brian and Debbie of Clare Avenue, Wickford, need at least £4,000 a year to help ensure that Jodie, a "sweet, delicate child" gets the vital treatment needed for her future happiness.

They made their plea following a visit with Jodie there, who was born with Galactocaemia which hits one in every 100,000 births, to the British Institute for Brain Injured Children in Somerset in January.

There they learned that with the right assessment, therapy and guidance a lot can be done to ease Jodie's condition, which was caused by lactose in her diet in the first few days of her life leading to irreparable brain damage.

But the couple, Brian, 34, and a long distance lorry driver, and Debbie, 35, a part time supermarket worker, have had to face up to the fact they cannot afford the treatment without outside help.

Now with the help of loyal supporters they are hoping to raise the cash to give her a better life.

Debbie said: "We feel this is the only way we can give her a chance.

"We want to help her to be as independent as she can be. We have already seen some improvements and the assessment was only three weeks ago.

"She already seems a more content and happier little girl and there have not been as many panic attacks.

''Her progress though depends on how much help we can keep giving Jodie and whether we can keep going to BIBIC."

At the moment Jodie has a mental age of one, will probably never talk and cannot walk unaided. She needs constant care and attention with a very carefully monitored diet and still suffers from febrile convulsions

Debbie said: "It was really a great comfort going to BIBIC. They build up a basic picture of your child and a structured plan of actions and procedures to improve their quality of life.

"They also gave us a programme of exercises to help her in things like developing her movements and her spatial awareness."

The annual bill of £4,000 is needed to cover the cost of travelling down to the regular BIBIC assessments and employing a carer to help them implement the BIBIC programme.

Debbie said: "It has been amazing to see the effect over the last month. They seem to have pinpointed exactly the right things and we feel the more they can teach us the more we can teach Jodie. "We will never know how much we can help Jodie unless we give her this chance."

One of their supporters, Brian Southgate said: "Jodie is a sweet, tiny, delicate child whose affection and joyful response to other people would melt the coldest of hearts. We are asking people to please help her gain the most out of what will probably be a very short life."

To contact Debbie and Brian telephone 07867 522266.

Please help: Debbie Nicholls pictured with Jodie.

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