THE FAMILY of a four-year-old boy who needs a life-changing operation have been blown away by the incredible support from the Stroud community.

Asger Marsh - who featured on the front of the SNJ earlier this month - was born prematurely at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital and was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at 18 months old.

Now, aged four, his leg muscles can’t grow at the correct rate, causing him pain when he tries to stand.

Stroud News and Journal: Asger Marsh

Asger, who lives with parents Sam and Holly Marsh in Uplands along with twin sister Tiggi and elder sister Aubrey, six, was diagnosed during lockdown and the family say they have been in limbo for a long time due to NHS waiting lists.

They had to wait more than a year for an MRI scan to confirm the diagnosis and last year were told by the NHS that Asger could have spinal surgery which would help his legs and reduce the pain, giving him a chance of walking more normally.

However, with issues such as the NHS strikes and Covid backlogs, this option has slipped away from the family, who have decided to go private.

Stroud News and Journal:

The family recently launched a campaign through charity Just 4 Children to raise £60,000, which will help towards surgery, post-op care and ongoing physiotherapy plus travel and accommodation.

The family say it is their ‘one opportunity to give Asger the best chance of a pain-free future’.

Nearly £40,000 has now been raised since the appeal was launched earlier this year, with the family blown away by the support from the community

"We have been completely blown away by the response and send our warmest thanks to everyone who is supporting Asger on this journey," said mum Holly.

"The local response from everyone is incredible and we have been really touched by community efforts to raise the funds for his operation.

"We have been given a date of July 8 for his operation, so we are now looking at a last push over the next few months to raise the funds we need."

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