A FAMILY’S dream of providing their daughter with the new wheelchair she desperately needs has finally become a reality today.

Alana Ranger, 12, suffers from cerebral palsy and epilepsy and has been in a wheelchair since birth.

Her mum, Louise Ranger, 39, sent out a heartfelt appeal for help at the start of the year as her wheelchair, which was fine for school, caused problems when the family were out and Alana needed changing.

But those days are over now after a fundraising campaign, backed by the Star, saw scores of residents and organisations raise money for the youngster’s cause. Her new wheelchair has now arrived and the whole family are “ecstatic”.

Alana’s new wheelchair is lightweight and has a fold-out part so she can be changed which will make life much easier.

Mrs Ranger said: “I’m ecstatic. I don’t have to get her out of the chair and plonk her on a dirty floor anymore.

“This is going to help all of us.

“I feel awful having to put my daughter on the floor but with the new chair we won’t have to do that anymore.

“It’s going to be brilliant for everybody, absolutely brilliant.”

Countless fundraising events have been held over the last few months to raise money for Alana’s chair.

Among the events was a charity evening at the Felsto Arms pub and Felixstowe resident Dee Hayward also shaved her hair to raise money. Organisations including the Suffolk Foundation also offered help.

More than �1,500 was raised through donations and events with the Newlife charity, which the family turned to for help, putting forward the rest of the cash.

Mrs Ranger added: “It’s been fantastic, I can’t thank everybody enough – there have been so many people involved raising money.”

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