Our Nicole wins courage award (From St Helens Star)

Our Nicole wins courage award

9:00am Friday 5th October 2012 in News

SHE won Star readers’ hearts when we shared her uplifting story earlier this year...now six-year-old Nicole Walker-Littler has earned a reward for her bravery.

Nicole, from Sutton, was born three months premature, leaving her severely disabled with quadriplegic cerebral palsy. After being given just a slim chance of survival, she pulled through and became strong enough to breathe on her own.

However, doctors believed that Nicole would never walk, sit, talk or be able to feed herself.

But, adamant that Nicole would live as normal a life as possible, her mother enlisted the help of The Legacy Rainbow House, near Ormskirk.

Nicole has defied the doctors’ predictions. She can now sit unsupported for five minutes, stand for one minute and has taken two unsupported steps.

Her fighting spirit has earned her the ‘Child of Courage’ award from local radio station Wish FM’s Local Hero Awards.

Nicole’s mother, Nikki Walker, 45, said: “Our daughter is such an inspiration, and we’re thrilled that she was honoured at the award ceremony.

“We’d like to thank everyone personally at The Legacy Rainbow House, as they’ve given us hope for our little girl’s future.

“I don’t know where we’d be without the charity’s support.”

There she receives conductive education, which includes massages, stretches and taught how to behave in a way most of us take for granted.

The charity, however, needs at least half a million pounds a year to provide the therapy needed for children to attend The Legacy Rainbow House.

Joe Mawdsley, head of fundraising at The Legacy Rainbow House, said: “It takes a lot of courage and strength to achieve such inspirational goals, and everyone at The Legacy Rainbow House is so proud of Nicole’s journey.

“We’re all extremely excited about celebrating her achievements and we can’t wait to see what she will surprise us with next.

“Nicole is an amazing child, who has had to conquer so much in such a short space of time.”