Children with cerebral palsy being helped all over the world thanks to Mirror campaign

A Mirror campaign to highlight Tory cuts to vital operations for cerebral palsy sufferers has helped children around the world.

The case of Ben Baddeley - whose selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) treatment was paid for by our readers - has led to families as far afield as Holland, America, New Zealand, China, Vietnam and New Zealand getting help.

His parents Amy and Gary told how a series of articles to highlight the benefits of the treatment has seen thousands of people follow his story.

And our campaign helped bring about not just a Government U-turn in the UK to fund the operations, as well as giving hope to cerebral palsy sufferers across the globe.

Our readers have now helped to raise almost 30,000 for Ben and, after his second and final life-changing operation, he will continue to undergo vital 150-a-session physio three times a week to help him to walk.

His family, of Silverdale, Staffs, has just released video footage charting his remarkable progress - and will be writing to the hundreds of our readers to thank every one personally, with pictures of Ben before the treatment, and afterwards.

Amy, 29, said: "We now have 4,280 people following Ben's progress on his Facebook page.

"And the Mirror stories have helped to raise awareness - and helped other families - around the world.

"One mum from Holland had never heard of SDR but read Ben's story and is now having the operation for her six-year-old son there.

"Once the coverage went the Mirror on line it just went viral and there was interest from China, Vietnam, New Zealand.

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Children with cerebral palsy being helped all over the world thanks to Mirror campaign