A family have spoken of their desperate race against time as they battle to raise £60,000 so they can fund life-saving surgery for their young children.
Scarlet Gunby's two boys Rory and Ronnie were both diagnosed with cerebral palsy at 11 months old, and are both unable to stand or walk unaided.
The Gunby twins also suffer severe problems with their vision, and their mum describes their ability to see like "looking through a kaleidoscope", reports Leicestershire Live.
Ronnie has also suffered multiple seizures, leaving his family to cope with long periods of recovery.
Scarlet, who live in Rothley, Leicestershire, has been told the twins may benefit life-changing surgery called SDR, or Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy.
Unfortunately the NHS cannot fund the procedure - so the family are now trying to raise the money themselves to help them live a pain free, independent life and give them a chance of walking one day.
Ronnie had his first seizure back in September 2022, which led to him being put into an induced coma.
After several more seizures and many hospital admissions they are now controlled by daily medication, and he has been given a confirmed diagnosis of epilepsy.
Recovery has taken much longer however, and with the family spending huge amounts of time trying to help him and his brother through the tightness in their muscles and verbal difficulties.
Scarlet told Leicestershire Live: "We have spent the last year doing hours of daily therapies to get them where they are today. However due to their late diagnosis and input from the NHS we still feel they have so much more potential.
"Ronnie and Rory's cerebral palsy causes them pain and tightness in their muscles, also known as spasticity. Rory can sit unaided for a few seconds and Ronnie is still unable to sit unaided, neither of them can stand or walk like any child their age.
"As a result of spasticity, they wake several times a night in pain with stiff legs crying out for help. This is heart-breaking to hear and something no parent should have to witness."
Doctors have more recently suggested the possibility of using Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy to treat Ronnie and Rory's muscle tightness and help with their pain - but sadly they will not be able to get the crucial operation through the NHS.
The family have instead started a page on Just4Children to find the £60,000 they need to get it done privately - and have so far raised more than £8,900 from 125 donations.
Explaining their situation, Scarlet added: "Currently Ronnie and Rory do not meet the NHS criteria for this operation, and therefore this is why we are fundraising for the procedures.
"Using the funds raised with Just4Children we will be able to pay for the operations, ongoing physiotherapy and rehabilitation so they can live the most comfortable lives going forward.
You can visit the twins' donation page to find out more and donate.
