FOR the first two days of little Ava’s life, all seemed well.

But Mark and Judith Roberts were about to endure every parent’s worst nightmare as, within 48 hours, their beautiful baby girl stopped breast feeding, stopped breathing, turned blue, her brain started shutting down and she began suffering seizures.

The tiny tot was rushed to intensive care, where she spent the next two weeks.

Even now, more than two years on, Ava still suffers up to a dozen seizures every day.

She is developing, but her mobility is limited to rolling onto her side.

Medics won’t know how much brain damage she has suffered until her epilepsy is brought under control.

Her parents hope a pioneering treatment, which they first heard about through ITV’s Surprise, Surprise, will allow her to sit unaided, roll across the room and, maybe, walk.

But the PediaSuit treatment, which uses space age technology to stimulate muscle growth, is delivered at Therapies 4 Kids, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA, and the Roberts family, of Nettlesworth, County Durham, need £12,000 to make the trip possible.

They have booked Ava an appointment for July, paid a deposit and say they will travel, even if they need to borrow money or re-mortgage their home.

Over the last three months, their Faith (For Ava’s Intensive Therapy Hope) appeal has raised more than £6,000. Now they need help to get the second £6,000.

Mrs Roberts, 35, who formerly taught in Consett, said: “I can’t believe we’ve reached the half-way mark. I don’t know how we’ve done it.

“It’s hard to know how well the therapy will work and that’s hard. But hope keeps you going.

“Ava’s a happy little girl who hopefully we can bring a bit more quality of life.”

The treatment would last four hours a day, for five days a week, over four weeks and could be repeated next spring.

To support ‘Faith’, visit facebook.com/foravasintensivetherapyhope2013

Alternatively, support the following fundraisers:

  • Quiz and Bingo Night at the Red Lion in Chester-le-Street, Friday, April 19, 7pm, tickets £3 on the door.
  • Bag packing at Asda at the Metro Centre on Saturday, May 25, from 10am to 7pm.
  • Sunderland Dogs on Friday, June 7, tickets £5 including entry, a drink and pie and pea supper.

More Chester-le-Street News