4-year-old is wheelchair bound: an anonymous millionaire pays for her surgery and a trip to Disneyland
Life often puts obstacles in our paths that seem insurmountable. But sometimes, a generous and kind soul reaches out to help us in our time of need. It is in these moments that we realize that the power of human kindness can make all the difference.
An act of kindness, a helping hand, a word of encouragement: all these can make a big difference is someone's life, and this story is proof of this.
via Theepochtimes
When four-year-old Emily Anderson was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, her parents realized they would have to struggle to give her a chance at having a happy childhood. However, the operation that could have helped her - called selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) - was difficult to obtain from the British public health system.
From birth, Emily showed abnormalities in her health and development. After a battery of medical tests, an MRI revealed that there was significant damage to the left side of Emily's brain, caused by her premature birth.
Initially, specialists believed that Emily would never learn to walk or talk. Determined to fulfill her dream of seeing Emily walk without having to use a wheelchair, her mother Paula Ratcliffe, 34, decided to raise money to finance the operation Emily needed. But with a goal of $100,000, Paula expected the fundraising efforts to take a long time.
"Emily is mentally sharp and intelligent; it's only her body that limits her. This surgery will change her life dramatically and is a great opportunity for her. She longs to participate in activities with her friends at school and has a fantastic group of teachers and friends who support her,” Paula explained.
Initially, Paula thought it would take a long time to reach the fundraiser's goal when she launched the campaign online. However, unexpectedly, just 24 hours later, an anonymous donor offered to cover the costs of the operation and even paid for the family to go to Disneyland.
This generous donor seems to be a millionaire who was touched by Emily's story. This act of kindness was done anonymously, without seeking thanks or recognition.
Paula, surprised and grateful for the donation said: “About 24 hours after I started fundraising, I received a phone call informing me that a secret donor had offered to cover all the costs. This person wished to remain anonymous. It was a total surprise. I didn't expect anything like this to happen."
"The donor intends to fund all of the medical care, treatment and aftercare, and also gave Emily a trip to Disneyland, which is just unbelievable. There are no words to express how grateful we are to this person and I am so grateful that they believe in my daughter as much as I do,” Paula added. This generous donation will help ensure that a child who is already learning to talk can also learn to walk. We wish Emily all the best for a bright future.
