I live in Watsons, Killiney, Dublin with my mum, my dad and my two big sisters, Fíona and Aoife.  I dream of being an Irish Dancer some day, just like my sisters, and perhaps a ballerina too.  I am a happy, smiley little girl.  I just started school in Johnstown National School and I love colouring.  Peppa Pig and Dora are my favourite books.  I was born at 28 weeks and something happened to me called Cerebral Palsy.  Because of this I cannot walk, which is a bit of a problem for a dancer.  Can you walk on your own?

The muscles in my legs are too tight and don’t stretch enough to let me walk.  Sometimes they are very sore.  I can take some steps on my sticks and I have a lovely purple wheelchair, but I would love to be able to walk best of all.  That is my biggest wish in life.  What is yours?  I bet you have one too J

After lots of physiotherapy, exercises and hard work, since I was a born, a nice doctor in America has told my Mum and Dad that he can do a miracle operation to fix my legs and take away the tightness and the pain.  He has helped over 2,000 other children too.  I am so excited that I might walk on my own.

This operation is only done in America and it costs lots of money (€60,000).  It will be very sore, but I have to be brave if I want to be a dancer.  I checked my piggy bank and my sisters checked theirs but there is not enough money.  My dad had to give up work to mind me, so my mum and dad do not have enough money, but they are saving hard.  I wrote to Santa but that is too much money even for him!

Do you think that you could help me to get my operation?  Even a little bit would help because lots of little bits add up.  My family and I are doing lots of fun things to try to get enough money for my dream and my wish to come true.  If you can help, even a tiny bit, I promise I will invite you to my first Feis (and maybe even my first ballet show!).  xxx  Niamh