Cruel thieves steal charity box for nine-year-old girl raising money for operation so she can walk again – Mirror.co.uk

Callous thieves stole a charity box being used to raise money to pay for a nine-year-old to have an operation so she can walk again.

The family of little Kareena Hayes need 10,000 to fund private treatment for the youngster, who suffers from cerebral palsy .

Doctors have told the schoolgirl it is unlikely she will ever walk unaided again unless she has the surgery .

The Marmalade and Tea cafe in Derbyshire has been raising money for the disabled youngster in a charity box on its counter.

But cruel thieves smashed their way into the cafe and stole money from the till as well as the charity box - and even took a photo of Kareena that was attached to it.

Now Kareena has launched an appeal for the money to be returned.

She said: "I'm very angry and upset. I'm poorly and cannot walk well and they would have known that money was for me. How could they?

"I'm really nervous for the treatment and we really need the money. For someone to take it is terrible.

"I try and get on with my life as best I can. This is just terrible. I don't understand why anybody would want to take from me.

"I was very shocked when I heard somebody had taken the box. I feel sorry for my dad. He looks after me. I love him so much."

Kareena, who lives with her dad Craig Hammond, 39, and brother Nathan, 11, was diagnosed with cerebral palsy when she was just one.

Doctors have advised the family of an operation that could help her, called selective dorsal rhizotomy, which improves muscle stiffness and mobility in cerebral palsy sufferers.

But 10,000 is needed for the private treatment at Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham.

Dad Craig, who is also Kareena's full-time carer, said: "I cannot understand why somebody would want to do that.

"It's sickening. I feel very sorry for them (the cafe) because it's not something they needed either.

"We were really pleased that they had included a box for her.

"We're both going to go in the cafe in the next few days to see them.

"We're really thankful for the help that we have had so far. It has been fantastic and will make such a difference.

"This operation could really mean her walking can improve."

The family has raised 450 of the 10,000 so far, plus a 2,500 donation from the charity Caudwell Children, which helps transform the lives of disabled children across the UK.

Craig added: "If we can get the funding together for the operation then it's a very long process.

"She will need intense physiotherapy for two years and she will have a long way ahead of her.

"She's very brave. I'm very proud of her. I think she's brilliant and doing well."

Emily Jeffrey, who owns the Marmalade and Tea cafe, said she feels "absolutely heartbroken" about the break-in.

She added: "The box was tied to the till and that was ripped off. It had a photograph of her on it. They would have known it meant raising money for a poorly girl."

Derbyshire Police are linking the incident with a similar theft at a nearby shop on the same night when another charity box was taken along with sweets.

A spokesman for the force said nobody had been arrested for either theft - committed on the night of February 8 - but asked for anybody who has information to call 101.

Anybody who wants to raise money for Kareena visit can click here .

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Cruel thieves steal charity box for nine-year-old girl raising money for operation so she can walk again - Mirror.co.uk