THE mother of a boy with cerebral palsy has appealed for help to pay for a life-changing operation.

The family of cerebral palsy sufferer Oliver Holmes, seven, of Stifford Clays Road, Grays, applied for a pioneering operation in the USA after seeing how it changed the lives of sufferers Callum Branch and Jordon Wright last year.

The boys’ plight touched the hearts of many residents, businesses and organisations in Thurrock, who helped raise thousands of pounds needed for operations.

Mum Claire is hoping the borough will show her son, who has been accepted to have the Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy operation in April, the same generosity.

She said: “Oliver was born 13 weeks premature and is lucky to be here.

“He attends mainstream school, but physically struggles to keep up because of the stiffness in the right side of his body, caused by the cerebral palsy. The operation would remove the stiffness and allow him to do activities he is unable to do.”

The cost of the operation, and associated physiotherapy, is more than £40,000.

To help, e-mail oliverholmes.sdr@ googlemail.com for more information.

You can also visit Oliver’s Facebook page Oliver Holmes SDR Fund, where you will find account details to make a donation.