DONATIONS from across the globe – and closer to home – have flooded in for a Chelmsford tot with a rare, life-threatening blood disease.
Supporters have rallied to the aid of two-year-old Indie Smith who has Atypical Haemolytic-Uraemic Syndrome (aHUS), since she first appeared in the Essex Chronicle.
Indie needs a drug called Eculizumab which costs £250,000 a year to relieve her from a life in hospital.
Since her appearance in this newspaper in January, the Smith family has been inundated with well-wishers from as far afield as Australia, New Zealand and Germany wanting to help fund Indie's drugs, which run out in October.
Father, Gavin, said no less than 30 local groups have given their time and services to Indie, including Perryfields Infant School, which raised £870, and Fitness 364, which put on a psychic night and raised over £1,000 this month.
Fitness 364 events manager, David Rainbird said: "I am so glad we got to put this night on for Indie. It is about the money but more about raising the awareness.
"She is a local girl and we want to support our community. We didn't realise so many people were going to turn up that there weren't enough chairs and people were actually standing all night."
Father-of-three Gavin has been bombarded with e-mails asking if they can do anything to help.
The family including mum, Clare, 36, and Indie's brothers Ashton, five, Mason, 15, and Kane, 18, were even on Sky News following the article.
Gavin has also launched an e-petition which he is taking to Downing Street on May 14, on behalf of the 140 aHUS sufferers in England. So far the group has collected over 10,000 signatures but need to achieve 100,000 in order for the issue to be discussed in Parliament.
"It is a long process for the Government to research the drug and then recommend it for use," said Gavin, 40, of Raphael Close, Springfield. "If it is going to be approved for use on the NHS it will take at least another two years, so essentially some people are going to die waiting. Indie's quality of life is brilliant at the moment, as the drugs let her lead a normal life."
Gavin explained that in October, when the drugs run out, they will be taking Indie to Broomfield Hospital five to six times a week for dialysis.
"We won't be able to plan anything, no holidays, nothing," said Gavin, "Our whole life will revolve around hospital appointments. It is traumatising enough seeing all the needles in Indie at the hospital."
Gavin admitted the money raised, which currently stands at £11,302, will not be able to reach the £250,000 benchmark by October.
To sign the petition visit epetitions. direct.gov.uk/petitions/46252, or to donate to Indie's fund, visit www.helpindie.co.uk
