The family of West Lothian schoolgirl Ella Green, who has inspired people across the world with her fight to walk, is raising money for a robotic feeding device for her.
Ella had been undergoing physiotherapy in Poland following a pioneering surgery that allowed her to walk for the first time ever at the age of six.
The youngster was born with a condition called arthrogryposis, that affected the joints in her arms and legs meaning she used a wheelchair.
Now with the help of her family, the community, and nearly 4000 others following Ella’s page on Facebook, Ella is able to walk 160 steps in a single day, over 100 more than she could just a few months ago.
Ella’s dad, William, said: “We just got back last Friday and everyone’s been so great since!
“My Aunt Kathleen got so many people from West Lothian and Edinburgh together at Deans Bowling Club to raise money to get Ella kitted out back home.
“We even got a signed glove from Josh Taylor through Fauldhouse boxing. It’s been unreal.”
The specialist clinic in Poland supported Ella’s fight to walk via intense daily physiotherapy in facilities with specialised equipment like hoists and treadmills.
Dr Feldman, a doctor that worked with Ella, recommended an OBI feeder to help her gain more independence.
The OBI feeder is a robotic arm that can help feed the user through the use of accessible buttons at four different feed points.
William added: “The OBI feeder will go a long way. Ella is so independent.
“She just wants to do everything herself and this will let her be able to feed herself.”
William and Ella will move into a new home better suited to Ella’s needs next Monday, facilitated in large part due to Bathgate councillor Charles Kennedy.
The family will not be able to return to Poland for six months as their visa expired while abroad.
But Ella continues to do physio around the kitchen with her dad in Bathgate and she has a meeting with a specialist American doctor for a yearly review following the surgery she underwent in 2021.
William went on to speak about Ella’s progress while they were in Poland.
He said: “Ella’s so brave, I walk with her every day. It’s a gruelling process for her and I don’t know if many other kids could do it but she can.
“She’s getting there but it’s not that easy.
“I just wish there were facilities for Ella in Scotland like there is in America and Poland.”
Those interested in supporting Ella’s fundraiser to get an OBI feeder can do so here.
You can follow Ella’s fight to walk on the family’s Facebook page, here.
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