Wigan family's delight as fund for young girl's life-changing surgery passes £50k

A family aiming to collect £70,000 for potentially life-changing surgery for a six-year-old girl hope they will reach their target at a glittering fund-raising night.
Hallie Campbell with her mum LucyHallie Campbell with her mum Lucy
Hallie Campbell with her mum Lucy

Hallie Campbell is the only female in the UK to be diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder, which means she cannot walk, talk or sit up and has painful seizures.

Other news: Failing Wigan GP surgery could be shut down within weeksThere are plans for Hallie to go to Poland next month for surgery which is not available to her in the UK.

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Her family’s fund-raising efforts now stand at just over £50,000 and they hope a final push in the coming weeks will help them reach the target in time.

They are organising a race night at Haigh Hall Hotel on Saturday, October 26, which could raise the money they need.

Hallie’s mum Lucy Campbell, from Hindley, said: “This will be our final event so we are hoping it will be either a celebration or we will hit the target on the night.

“We are at £50,000 now, so we have a month to hit our target.”

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The black-tie event will be a race night with a three-course meal, raffle, auction, live music and a DJ.

Lucy is looking for individuals and businesses interested in getting involved, such as by booking a table or donating prizes for the raffle.

All the money raised will be donated to the appeal to get Hallie to Poland for the treatment, which it is hoped will be carried out at the beginning of November.

Hallie has a rare disorder named aromatic amino acid decarboxylase deficiency (AADCd), which causes severe developmental delays, weak muscle tone, involuntary movement of arms and legs and painful seizures.

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She was diagnosed with the life-limiting condition when she was just six months old and cannot walk, talk or sit up.

The condition is so rare that only around 130 people worldwide have it, including five in the UK, with Hallie being the only female.

But new gene therapy surgery has become available, which could be successful in preventing painful seizures - known as eye crises - which Hallie has every couple of days, sometimes lasting for hours.

However, it is not available on the NHS as it involves expensive brain surgery which would cost £1m per patient.

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A medical centre in Poland has offered to treat Hallie at the subsidised price of £70,000, but the NHS turned down a request from her family to pay for it, so they are raising the money themselves.

Fund-raising activities so far have included friends and family taking Hallie up Snowdon in her wheelchair, tackling the Born Survivor obstacle course in the Lake District and packing bags for supermarket shoppers.

There have also been many donations to the online appeal at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/genetherapy4hallie.

To buy tickets for the race night, which cost £40, or to get involved in the event, email [email protected].

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