Oliver needs more help

By now, most of you will have heard about our seven-year-old son Oliver Henry who was born with severe deformities in all four limbs.

Over the years Oliver has had several successful major operations in UK on his hands to improve his dexterity. Last year, straight after our production of Music of the Night, we once again travelled to the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre Oxford for a series of further operations (this time round it's been eight so far). It started with the slow and painful Ilizarov bone lengthening technique on both legs, after eight months of wearing metal fixators to help lengthen, correct and a couple of operations for adjustments, the frames were taken off.

Following that, Oliver had a below-the-knee amputation of his right leg and a toe-to-hand transfer to give him a thumb. This was a somewhat traumatic and difficult time for all of us, but Oliver's spirit and amazing resilience kept us going.

Unfortunately there was a setback with the amputated leg of around three months as it failed to heal well and complications with his other leg and knee as well have held back our return to Malta for some time.

For the last few months we have been flitting from one country to another to enable Oliver to receive the full rehabilitation treatment he needs to be able to walk again. Now Oliver has been fitted with a new artificial limb and is beginning to learn how to walk again.

But now another problem has arisen due to the bone lengthening; one of his knees has lost its position and Oliver is finding it difficult to stand on it without the aid of a full-length splint.

Oliver is a very cheerful little soul and rarely complains about any of the treatment; his doctors and therapists are amazed at the way he has coped with it all so far, we are so proud of our strong little chap. So far it's taken more than a year and a half. Oliver and his mother are expected to stay in UK for as long as it is necessary, but I have come back to Malta to fulfil our contracts and try and earn a living.

So far Oliver's medical treatment has been managed with the help of the government and of course your kind donations; however, our living and travel expenses are very high and money is quickly running out, we are concerned that we will not have enough to stay there until his present treatment is over.

If you feel you would like to make a donation to Oliver's fund we would be eternally grateful for your generosity, no matter how small. You can donate directly through BOV branches where there is a Trust Fund Account for Oliver, Account no. 17906411029.

Thank you from the depths of our hearts, for helping us to help Oliver.