Macclesfield Girl In Crowdfunder For Prosthetic Leg To Help Her Swim

By Alex Greensmith

16th Apr 2021 | Local News

A crowdfunding campaign for a Macclesfield schoolgirl to have a prosthetic leg to help her in the water, is going swimmingly.

Natalia Walton (6) suffers from Proximal Femoral Focal Deficiency, meaning one leg will always be longer than the other.

This is because the growth in one of the femur bones is stunted.

The Bollington St John's CE Primary School pupil is amazed that people are donating towards a new leg which will her help swim.

Her stay-at-home Mum Katie Walton (32), was disappointed to find out that she could not get Natalia a separate leg for swimming on the NHS.

Her daughter's current prosthetic would corrode and rust in a swimming pool, and is unfit for use in water.

Katie's sister-in-law Lindsay Ward took matters into her own hands, and on April 4 set up a 'gofundme' page.

The crowdfunding campaign, is already over halfway through the £5000 goal.

The proud mum-of-four is especially overwhelmed with support.

"We found out when I was pregnant that there was a problem with her leg," recalled Natalia's mum Katie.

"Her hip wasn't right, which stopped the growth of her left leg.

"When she was two, we chose to amputate her foot.

"Because if we chose to keep extending the bone until she was 16, she might have had to have had a full leg amputation."

Proximal Femoral Focal Deficiency occurs in one in every 40,000 births, according to the UK charity Steps Worldwide.

Natalia has attended lessons in the water at Bollington Leisure Centre, but she needs a new bespoke swimming leg to keep up with her classmates, who are starting swimming lessons on April 20th.

But because Natalia's leg grows so often, she has to get new prosthetics and the NHS will not fund it, despite funded legs when Katie's daughter was younger.

"We didn't think people would be so helpful," Katie added.

"We've had people in Prestbury send signed football shirts on ebay to auction off, and we've had the local Co-Op doing a raffle for Natalia."

Aside swimming, Natalia is a very active child who also loves football and riding her scooter.

Natalia's family also includes Dad Chris (38), an older sister, and two brothers, who are keen all to swim with her.

Her auntie Lindsay is walking 20,000 steps for every day of the crowdfunding campaign, to symbolise the strength and effort amputees have to put into everyday life.

You can donate here.

     

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