THE mother of a child who may never walk or talk has given an emotional speech ahead of a global awareness week.

Freddie Ormrod has Leigh Syndrome, a mitochondrial disorder which affects energy-producing cells in his body.

Freddie, who is nearly three, was a healthy baby until, at sixmonths-old, he became less responsive and started having multiple seizures.

He was diagnosed with the condition which means he cannot sit without support and cannot walk or talk.

Freddie’s mum Louise recorded a radio interview with Heart ahead of Global’s Make Some Noise day on October 5. It supports small UK charities and The Lily Foundation, which Louise and her family receive help from, has been chosen this year to receive donations.

In her interview, which will be played at various times on the radio up until October 5, she said: “Freddie was born a normal child, around six-months-old I started to feel something wasn’t the same.

“He still wasn’t sitting, and we couldn’t remember the last time he smiled.

“When you get told your child has a life-limiting illness, they are never going to walk or talk, your life gets torn apart.

“He won’t get better, and one day things will deteriorate.”

The family was referred to The Lily Foundation, a charity supporting children with mitochondrial disease.

Louise, from Colchester, said: “No parent goes on to have a child thinking one day they are going to lose them. The Lily Foundation are doing everything they can to make sure one day that doesn’t have to happen.

“We call The Lily Foundation our Lily Family.”

Louise, her husband, James, have been in contact with Colchester Council to see if Colchester Castle could be lit up green, like many other buildings around the UK, for Mitochondrial Disease Awareness Week, which starts on Sunday.