A FUNDRAISING appeal has been launched to pay for a life changing operation for a four-year-old Ilkley boy to help him walk.

Gabriel Kendell, who lives with his parents Drew and Sarah Kendell, and his triplet brothers Louis and Max, in Burley-in-Wharfedale, has spastic diplegia cerebral palsy and needs an operation called Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy (SDR).

He has been selected for the operation at Leeds General Infirmary but unfortunately it isn't available on the NHS. The family now need to raise £40,000 to enable the procedure to go ahead as soon as possible.

Drew, 46, said: "Gabriel, Louis and Max were born at 30 weeks exactly by an emergency caesarean section at Leeds General Infirmary. They weighed less then 10lbs between them.

"They all spent seven weeks in special baby care units - LGI, then Jimmy's then Airedale - before they were eventually allowed home.

"Gabriel's birth - he's the older brother but they all arrived within 15 mins - had been particularly difficult with a prolapsed umbilical cord. In the months to come, tests showed that he had spastic diplegia cerebral palsy as well as autism.

"The condition means his leg muscles, particularly his calves, are permanently contracted - with the result that he walks on the very tips of his toes. "Although he can move unsteadily over very short distances, whenever he is out of the house he needs to be pushed in a chair. Sadly it is causing the bones in his legs to become deformed and this will only get worse over time."

Doctors have tried Gabriel on medication and also Botox treatment but neither has any marked effect. He has been assessed and deemed suitable for Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy at Leeds General Infirmary. The procedure will see the neurosurgeon Mr John Goodden sever a number of nerve roots in his spinal column. This should reduce the over-stimulation of his leg muscles and eliminate the tightness. Then follows two years of intense physiotherapy to re-train Gabriel how to walk 'properly'.

Max and Louis, who attend Burley Oaks Primary School, understand that money is needed for the operation and want to help out. They have spoken out about it in an online video and plan to take part in sponsored events to help raise the £40,000 to enable their brother to run, jump and play with them.

Drew added: "Gabriel's brothers Max and Louis, are already protective of him. While they constantly 'play rough' with each other, they are always gentle around Gabriel and will pass him toys if he drops them and hold his hand if he is upset.

Max said: "Gabriel can't run around and play football with us because he has a poorly leg. We want the doctors to make him better so that he can join in and we can all play together.'

Louis also said: "We are going to sell some of our toys to help doctors fix Gabriel's leg. And we could wash some cars and maybe do some running races."

To see Max and Louis' online video and help raise the money needed to help Gabriel visit: https://just4children.org/children-helped2017/go-gabriel-go/