Players needed for netball matches

Friday 8th June 2012

Netball player Sandra King is organising a fundraising tournament to help a five-year-old girl travel to the US for life-changing surgery.

Sandra, from St Helens, wants to hear from teams and individuals who will play in aid of The Help Susanna Walk Appeal.

Susanna Petersburska has spastic diplegic cerebral palsy, meaning the muscles in her legs are very tight, causing pain and leaving her unable to walk without assistance. Her family, supported by charity Caudwell Children, are trying to raise the £60,000 needed for her to travel to St Louis hospital in Missouri, to have a life-changing procedure called selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR).

The operation, coupled with physiotherapy, could see Susanna, from St Helens, walk independently for the first time.

Sandra said: "My daughter is friends with Susanna and when I heard that there was an operation that would enable her to walk unaided and run around the playground with the other children I was determined to do something to help.

"I have played netball for many years and decided to organise a tournament as a way of helping this special little girl get her dream.

"The teams don't have to be experienced so if people want to get a group of friends together to join in then that's great."

Sandra is hoping to attract 20 teams to the tournament which is being hosted by Capricorn Netball Club and sponsored by Haydock Community Care.

The tournament takes place between 10am and 5pm on July 28. Entry to the tournament costs £40 per team, with a minimum of seven players per team. To register call Caudwell Children on 01782 600867. Donations can also be made at http://www.justgiving.com/helpsusannawalk.

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