THANKS to the generosity of the community across Tynedale, a three-year-old girl from Hexham is currently undergoing the first phase of life-enhancing treatment in Central America.

A total of £28,000 has been raised for charity Ella’s Hope in the name of Hexham Priory School pupil Ella Hunter (pictured right), which was set up by mother Gemma Edwards to send Ella to the Stem Cell Institute, based in Panama, for major surgery.

Ella suffered a bleed on the brain when she was just six weeks old, and she is confined to a wheelchair after suffering quadriplegic cerebral palsy with spasticity and dystonia.

Gemma and Ella are now targeting the remainder of the £40,000 required to complete the full treatment.

Gemma said: “This does leave us with just short of six months to raise another £12,000 but, in eight short months, we have raised £28,000 and I am honestly so very grateful to every single person who has shared a post, held an event, came to an event and donated because my little angel would 100 per cent not be getting this amazing opportunity if it wasn’t for you all.

“Please do keep donating and sharing and doing everything you are as it really is making a difference.”