A MOTHER is desperately trying to raise money so her daughter who suffers from cerebral palsy can learn to walk. Robin Jones, who will be seven next month and lives in Oaks Cross, Stevenage, has had one course of physiotherapy at The Cerebral Palsy Physi

A MOTHER is desperately trying to raise money so her daughter who suffers from cerebral palsy can learn to walk.

Robin Jones, who will be seven next month and lives in Oaks Cross, Stevenage, has had one course of physiotherapy at The Cerebral Palsy Physiotherapy Centre at Flitwick in Bedfordshire.

Robin's mum Tina said the improvement she saw in her daughter was amazing. Robin, who cannot walk and is visually impaired, can now sit up from a laying position. But the treatment costs £2,200 for a four-week session.

Tina said: "I cannot praise the centre enough. They use a Polish method of physiotherapy and the change in Robin has been immense.

"She can stand while holding on to us and she is generally more flexible. I want her to continue having the treatment so it improves her quality of life.

"I even hope one day she will be able to walk."

"A friend found the centre on the internet and I booked the first session before I even knew how we would afford it. We struggled but got there."

For the second course of treatment Tina, who has five other children, is holding an event at Stevenage Borough football club on October 6. The tickets for the event have all been sold, raising £2,000.

The Cerebral Palsy Physiotherapy Centre in Flitwick was set up by Sally Aspinall whose seven-year-old daughter, Lucy, has cerebral palsy.

Sally, like other parents, felt one hour of NHS physiotherapy was not enough and began to research other options.

She found a centre in Poland and took her daughter there although it cost £7,000 each time. The physiotherapy helps with speech, coordination and balance.

She told The Comet: "It was a logistical nightmare as well as the problems of having to leave the rest of my family here.

"I decided to pick the best staff from Poland and set up a centre here. We are unique as we use a blend of different methods and use specialised equipment. We offer a free assessment and then create an individual programme for each client.

"With cerebral palsy we are dealing with a brain injury. We have to re-train the brain to get an undamaged part to do what the damaged part would normally have done.