Smiles hide family's heartbreak
Behind these beautiful smiles lies heartache - two-year-old Ella Louise Mather is suffering from a rare condition and her parents, Michelle and Martin, know that means she may not survive beyond infancy.
Her condition, gm-1 gangliosidosis, is a rare metabolic disease which affects fewer than 1,000 people worldwide.
There was just a one in 100,000 chance that Martin and Michelle would both carry the same genetic fault and a one in four chance they would have a child with the condition. Doctors have tried to help Ella with drugs and even bone marrow transplants, but without success.
But the couple, from New Springs, are determined that their time with Ella will be full of joy – despite the heartbreak which lies ahead.
Michelle said: "We have to live in hope that something will turn up in time. Ella is a fantastic little girl and melts everyone's hearts with her smiles and giggles. Everyone who meets her falls in love with her straight away.
"To look at her you wouldn't know there was anything wrong. Her health is fine at the moment but she can't sit up and has lost some of her skills if anything. We have been told that she will lose them all eventually. But she is very loving and happy."
Michelle's devotion to her daughter has melted our hearts and we have made her the winner of our Mum in a Million competition.
Read the full story in this week's Wigan Observer ... on sale now
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Weather for Wigan
Thursday 02 September 2010
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 8 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 9 C to 20 C
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Wind direction: South east
