A CILGERRAN family has launched a £40,000 appeal for a life-changing operation and treatment for their eight-year-old son

Tom and Anwen Beard hope to raise the cash for football-made Trystan, who suffers from cerebral palsy (spastic diplegia) and whose big goal in life is to score for the village team without the aid of his walking frame.

Trystan was nine weeks premature and spent several months in hospital following his birth and at 14 months old was rushed back in with double pneumonia.

He spent two weeks in an induced coma on a ventilator in the PICU unit at the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, followed by two weeks in the Noah’s Ark Children’s hospital.

At 18 months, Trystan was diagnosed with cerebral palsy spastic diplegia in his lower body and has undergone intensive physiotherapy at Bobath in Cardiff and with a dedicated team of physios at Withybush Hospital, Haverfordwest, he can now walk with a frame.

“I have to wear splints every day and have Botox injections but nothing holds me back,” said Trystan, who attends Cilgerran School with four-year-old sister Teleri.

“I try hard to do everything with a smile on my face. I love school, music, sport and playing with my friends.

“I play for Cilgerran Rovers under 10s who encourage me to train and play football with them. I would love to play football and score a goal without my frame.”

Trystan is eligible for SDR (selective dorsal rhizotomy) surgery which involves opening the spine and cutting nerves and fibres to his leg that causes the spasticity and may one day mean he can walk unaided.

However, the NHS has stopped funding such an operation and the intensive rehabilitation it involves back in 2011, though it is still available privately. It will cost at least £40,000 and that’s where the fund-raising appeal comes in.

But Trystan also faces a race against the clock.

“The physios treating Trystan said his legs, muscle tone and hamstrings are getting worse and that’s when they referred us to specialists in Bristol,” said mum Anwen, who works at Cardigan’s Aldi supermarket, while dad Tom works at Cardigan Sand and Gravel, at Penparc.

“We have been told he needs to have the operation before he is 10 and he turns nine in October so we have 15 months to raise the money.”

Earlier this year, Trystan featured on S4C programme Dathlu Dewrder – Tlws Plant to honour and celebrate some of Wales’ bravest children and young people.

Trystan’s cause has been taken up by the Just4Children charity and anyone wishing to donate can go to justgiving.com/campaign/TrystanGoal4Glory