Children's charity sends little girl from New Milton on well-deserved holiday (From Thisisdorset)

Children's charity sends little girl from New Milton on well-deserved holiday

10:30am Sunday 14th October 2012 in Latest By Jane Reader

A LITTLE girl fighting a rare immune disorder is looking forward to a fabulous family Christmas thanks to a local children’s charity.

Milly Smith, five, is awaiting a bone marrow transplant from her six-year-old sister, Kacey.

And charity Round Table Children’s Wish has offered to send the family to Butlins in Bognor Regis for a well-deserved break.

Milly, a pupil at Ashley Infant School in New Milton, suffers from chronic granulomatous disorder and would be unlikely to live past her early 20s without the transplant.

The condition leaves her vulnerable to common infections and she has spent much of her young life in hospital.

Her mum, Theresa, said: “This holiday means everything to us – the past five years have been a constant worry and what seems like an endless chain of hospital appointments.

“I’ve had to give up work and we simply cannot afford a family holiday. Milly and her sister have been incredibly brave and it’s wonderful to know we have such a special Christmas to look forward to.”

She said the children are looking forward to meeting Barney the Dinosaur and Angelina Ballerina.

The transplant is due to take place next year and Milly will have to endure chemotherapy beforehand and spend up to eight weeks in isolation afterwards.

Nicky Thompson, Chief Executive of Found Table Children’s Wish said: “Wishes really do work – they give the young person and their family something to look forward to and, most importantly, they give hope.”

The charity, based in Bournemouth, grants wishes for children aged four to 17 who have a life-threatening illness.

Past wishes include swimming with dolphins, being a zookeeper for a day, shopping sprees and visits to meet sporting heroes.