£850 raised for little girl's best birthday present

As reported in the February 3 edition, mother Cathy Dodd was trying to raise the cash to buy her five-year-old daughter Jeanie Walsh-Dodd the specially-made trike to give her the ‘best birthday ever’.

Yesterday (Thursday), however, Cathy posted on the Just Giving page: “Target has now been reached!! We thankyou for everyones support in making Jeanies wish come true!! Thankyou thankyou thankyou!! X”

Jeanie wanted the tricycle, worth about £1,700, as she continues to enjoy the most exciting childhood possible despite suffering from several life-changing conditions.

Jeanie, a pupil at Staniland Academy, Boston, was diagnosed with spina bifida myelomeningocele, a deformity of the spinal cord, shortly after birth and experts at Queen’s Medical Centre, Nottingham, also discovered a build-up of fluid on the brain known as hydrocephalus.

On top of this, Jeanie has to live with a neuropathic or neurogenic bladder dysfunction and the result of her conditions include a weakness of the legs, loss of feeling below the knees, tiredness and walking difficulties.

But Jeanie’s mum Cathy Dodd, 37, said: “My daughter is just a normal little five-year old who loves writing, colouring, playing with her dolls and going out in the car.

“She’s quite clever, she doesn’t let anything affect her and I’ve never treated her any differently compared to my other three children.”

Cathy launched her Justgiving page, https://crowdfunding.justgiving.com/c-dodd-1, just over a week ago to raise at least £850 towards the tricycle she wants for Jeanie’s sixth birthday

on April 15.

Boston-based children’s charity Love Shack, through its founder Kathy Ward, has agreed to fund the other half of the bill.

At the time of The Standard’s publication about £700 of the £850 needed had been raised already, but by yesdterday (Thursday) the target had been met.

Prior to publication, Cathy said: “I just didn’t think that people were so generous and I wasn’t expecting the amount of money that has been raised in just six days.

“I’ve been overwhelmed by it all and Jeanie will be over the moon as well because she’s constantly going on about getting a bike.

“It’ll definitely be the best birthday present she’ll have ever had.”

When she was born on April 15 2010, little Jeanie Walsh-Dodd was one of the 1,000 babies born with spina bifida in Britain every year.

In addition, Jeanie was diagnosed with hydrocephalus or water on the brain which happens when pressure is put on the brain by excess fluid in it, causing headaches, feelings of sickness, blurred vision and walking difficulties.