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4-year-old with cerebral palsy walks for the first time on the first day of school!

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Photo: CATERS/WWW.MAGAZINEFEATURES.CO.ZA
Photo: CATERS/WWW.MAGAZINEFEATURES.CO.ZA

A four-year-old with cerebral palsy took her first steps alone on the first day of primary school – with encouragement from her devoted twin brother.

Determined Millie Bea Hughes from Lancashire, England, told her mom Natalie (36) that she wanted to walk unaided on her first day of school on Thursday.

“Millie was so determined and wanted to do it,” Natalie said.

Dressed in her new school uniform and a big smile on her face, Millie took her first wobbly steps on her own.

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Natalie stood behind Millie, whose younger twin brother Evan walked in front of her with encouraging words. 

“It makes me cry every time I watch that video. Evan was encouraging her, you can see his little feet in the clip and hear him ask, ‘Shall I get your sticks or a toy?’ It’s really sweet.

“It makes me really, really proud. She’s come so far with all her physio and Evan always wants to help her,” the mom-of-two said.

Natalie and her husband Chris say the twins have been inseparable since they were born.

Since Evan was able to walk he’d fetch shoes and toys for his sister and make sure if he got a drink and biscuit, she got one too.

“They love each other very much and he'll ask, "Are you okay Millie?" and try and help her.

cerebral palsy

“When we go to the park he makes sure she has a good time and pushes her on the swing, which is lovely to see,” Natalie said.

Millie had a selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) operation at Portland Hospital in London earlier this year.

The procedure involves cutting nerves in the lower spine responsible for muscle rigidity. It has improved her mobility, which means she’s now able to move and play more independently.

Simple things like kneeling on both knees and bringing one up to help get herself up again were impossible before the operation because her hips were too tight, but now she can do it with relative ease.

This, combined with extensive physical therapy, means the new student is starting to rely less on her walking frame and uses sticks to get around.

“Yesterday was her first time walking in public unaided, something made possible by an intensive strength and conditioning course at specialist therapy centre Walk This Way in Perth,” Natalie said.

“She’s struggled with confidence so I’m hoping our next visit there will really help.

“She’s now able to do things she couldn’t do before the operation and is smashing it – I’m so proud of her.”

Source: Magazine Features

Pictures: CATERS/WWW.MAGAZINEFEATURES.CO.ZA

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