The family of an Ipswich teenager who defied the odds after being diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder are hoping to give her more independence by securing a new wheelchair.
At the age of three, Sakura Kittl was diagnosed with Jouberts Syndrome - a rare genetic disorder that affects an area of the brain that controls balance and coordination.
This came to light after Sakura was showing traits of scoliosis, cerebral palsy and torticollis.
Patients diagnosed with Jouberts Syndrome are often given a life expectancy of up to eight years old.
Sakura, however, defied the odds and turns 16 this year, and last summer she stood up and walked two steps for the first time.
Her mother, Melissa Kittl said: "We named her Sakura which means cherry blossom in Japanese because no matter how much she’d go through in life, she’d always bloom in her own time; each milestone beautiful and proud!"
As Sakura grows older and leaves school to go to college, Melissa wants to provide her with the independence that an electric wheelchair would give.
However, these wheelchairs are not covered by the NHS, and therefore to make up for the costs, Melissa has opened a GoFundMe page.
She is also looking for funding to give Sakura a new comfortable postural seating chair, which will support her scoliosis and the torticollis.
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