Community rallies for Isabelle

Isabelle Butlin, who has attracted large-scale support from the Skegness-area community.

Maja Wenden, 52, of Stickford has paid tribute to local residents and businesses for their ‘overwhelming’ kindness and generosity towards her granddaughter, Isabelle Butlin.

Isabelle was born at 29 weeks, weighing 2.15 lbs.

A bleed on her brain damaged the part of the organ relating to movement and her parents Jason, 23, and Beth, 20 were told Isabelle may go on to be diagnosed with cerebral palsy. At the age of one, she would be formally diagnosed with spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy.

Her family are now fundraising to pay for private physiotherapy for Isabelle, to supplement the sessions she has through the NHS about once a month, and also potentially to send her to the US for an operation which may one day allow her to walk unaided.

The cause is called Isabelle’s Journey and has attracted significant support from the area, Maja says.

Maja belongs to a sewing group called Oh Sew Lovely Sewing Ladies, where members have been placing unwanted fabric in a box for sale in aid of Isabelle’s Journey.

Maja has also been planning a jumble sale fundraiser for Saturday, March 24 (postponed from this Saturday details below) and has seen residents and businesses readily donate items for the sale, while members of the sewing group have been crafting or baking pieces for it and involving family and friends to collect donations.

She says had been ‘overwhelmed’ by the response and spoke of her thanks to the ‘good people of the area’ for their ‘kindness and generosity’.

She said: “It’s amazing how people have rallied around for our beautiful cute Isabelle. We moved to Lincolnshire from Leicester five years ago; we have never experienced such warmth and care from people as the Lincolnshire people.”

* The jumble sale fundraiser will take place at Spilsby Pavillion, in Ancaster Avenue, Spilsby, on Saturday, March 24, from 11am-2pm (originally reported as March 3, but since postponed due to snow).

Dad Jason said: “When Isabelle was eight months old we moved to Stickford to live with Beth’s parents, but came back to Leicester due to Isabelle’s care and consultant being based in Leicester.

“We are very lucky to have loving family and friends in both Leicester and Lincolnshire that are both going above and beyond in helping and ensuring we reach our goal.”

He described Isabelle as ‘the happiest, strongest and such an inspirational little girl with so much will power and determination’ and thanked the Leicester Royal Infirmary Nenotal ICU team, saying ‘without them Isabelle would not have been here today’.