BIG-HEARTED well-wishers have raised more than £1,000 to help a little girl receive vital physio just a week after an appeal was launched.

Rachel Fincham and Bailey Chittock, from Braintree, are working with Just4Children to raise money to provide their 20-month-old daughter Sadie with private therapy after she was diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder.

When Sadie was three months old her parents noticed she wasn’t developing.

In December, Sadie was diagnosed with a rare type of leukodystrophy, which affects the brain, spinal cord, coordination, motor skills and learning.

Usually the condition only occurs in boys.

Sadie also struggled to get enough nutrients and began losing weight, so now has a gastrostomy tube fitted into her tummy to feed her.

Rachel said: “Our aim is to be able to put her through private physio. All she is getting at the moment is through the NHS once a month and as amazing as they are, she will need more to reach her potential.”

Sadie still needs help with all daily activities such as playing and eating.

Jeremy Marris, of Just4Children, set up the JustGiving page to help raise money.

He said: “Just4Children are hoping as soon as we possibly can to get Sadie into private physiotherapy to enable her to move independently and to lead a fuller life.

“We want to provide her with the private therapy that she deserves and needs to progress.”

Just over a week after it was launched, the appeal has already raised more than £1,000

Rachel added: “Obviously I wasn’t expecting it with everything that is going on at the moment.

“Hopefully when this is all over, we will be able to go straight into something if we raise enough, rather than having to wait around.”

To donate search for The Life of Sadie Chittock on JustGiving.com or text LIFEOFSADIE to 70085 to donate £5.