Brave Walsall six-year-old born with a twisted foot tackles 1.5km walk
Young Darcie Warner was born with a twisted foot and has spent half of her life in casts. But the brave six-year-old has not let it her stop her and was determined to walk 1.5km to raise money for children less fortunate.
Donations have poured in for the youngster from Valley Side in Pelsall, after she completed the Birmingham Mini Run.
So far more than £1,000 has been raised for Birmingham Children's Hospital where doctors and physiotherapists have helped Darcie battle Talipes – commonly known as club foot.
Mum Leann Warner said she and husband Peter were delighted to learn they would be having twin girls in 2009.
But joy to turned to fear when Darcie, who arrived ahead of her sister Jessica, emerged into the world with her foot facing completely the wrong direction.
"It was horrifying, I was a wreck", said Leann.
Doctors calmed her initial panicked state and assured her everything would eventually be fine.
But since then Darcie has been in and out of casts and had to undergo painful corrective operations.
At the age of four she had a tendon transfer procedure which at first seemed to fix the problem, only for the youngster's foot to relapse.
In November the Ryders Hayes School pupil underwent an osteotomy – an operation where the bone is cut to realign it.
And nearly six months after Darcie is doing well with the help of staff at Birmingham Children's Hospital.
Mrs Warner said: "It has been a rough road for us. There will be more treatment for her in the future but we are massively grateful for the support we have had from the hospital.
"Many times I have been up there crying my eyes out.
"I am so grateful to Dr Hari Premji and Luke the physio, in particular. We are lucky to have such a fantastic hospital.
"When Darcie was last there she was on a ward with some very poorly children and she said 'mommy these children need some more toys' so by doing the run she feels she has given something back.
"It was a massive achievement for her to do the walk. We didn't know whether she would be able to do it because she get's tired quite easily but she was so upbeat and focused."
Mrs Warner also expressed her gratitude to staff at Lodge Farm in Walsall who held their own fundraiser on the day of the run which added extra donations to the overall pot.
