Schoolgirl Vivi starts her battle to walk unaided

A little schoolgirl fighting a severe form of cerebral palsy has started her long battle to try and walk unaided and pain free.

Vivi Gregory-Osborne, of York Avenue, had an operation on Tuesday at Frenchay Hospital in Bristol, where she remains in the high dependency unit.

The seven-year-old had a seven and a half hour procedure, where surgeons cut the nerves holding her legs together, which is aimed at stopping further deformity.

Vivi suffers from spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy that affects her arms and legs.

Speaking yesterday her mother Helen Gregory-Osborne, said her daughter will stay in hospital for three weeks and is in 'a lot of pain'.

She said: "Vivi was fed up on Tuesday and she has to lay flat on her back for a couple of days and must keep as still as possible.

"It has been very painful and uncomfortable for her."

She said Vivi will try and walk again tomorrow, which will be like a baby standing up for the first time as it has 'taken away what she was using'.

Helen said: "She already says her legs feel different, but I am concerned how she will feel and we are praying for a positive outcome."

Vivi will start intensive physiotherapy on Monday before undergoing a long period of recuperative therapy and then a revolutionary operation within two years.

The family are raising funds to pay for the operation aimed at permanently reducing spasticity, known as Selective Dorsal Rizotomy (SDR), not available on the NHS.

They have raised £29,000 of the £50-70,000 needed to pay for it and intensive physiotherapy for two years - plus 20 years of follow up.

If successful the procedure could help the Oakfield First School pupil walk and avoid having to spend the rest of her life in a wheelchair.

Her Imperial Road school held a Paralympic event on Friday raising more than £2,000, which Vivi attended along with gold medal winning Paralympian Sophie Christiansen.

Helen said: "It was an absolutely wonderful day and Vivi and the kids loved it - it was a very moving day."

Visit www.vivisventure.org for details.

Follow Vivi's progress on Twitter @VivisVenture