A HAMPSHIRE mum is channelling her “guilt and sadness” to raise awareness for a charity in honour of her young daughter.

Sian Rixon, from Sarisbury Green, was shocked when she first found out that her daughter Emmie was born with congenital myotonic dystrophy, a condition that will affect her for the rest of her life.

Born in 2011, Emmie was diagnosed within two weeks.

Now Sian says she’s taking all of her sadness, anger and guilt and focusing it into taking positive action.

On October 28, a ball, three-course dinner, raffle and casino tables will all go towards the Congenital Myotonic Dystrophy Fight Fund and Muscular Dystrophy UK.

The condition progressively affects the muscular, respiratory and cardiovascular systems, leaving Emmie with a complex range of symptoms and living with daily pain.

Sian later found out that it was she who had unknowingly passed the condition to Emmie genetically.

Sian, 38, said: “We just get on with things because that’s what’s best for Emmie.

“I took my sadness and focused that energy on caring for Emmie – and finding a cure, that’s when we started the Fight Fund.

“It’s a very personal charity for me as it could directly shape the rest of Emmie’s life.

“Throughout the year we organise a number of money raising events but the ball is the big one and it really makes a difference.”

Sian lives with her husband Allan and their son Finn, aged seven.

Born via a planned caesarean, Sian says everything should have been fine, but on delivery, Emmie needed help breathing and was taken to a neonatal unit.

Sian said: “The next two years of Emmie’s life was a series of appointments, she saw speech therapists, physiotherapists, cardiologists and more.

“She was poked and prodded but was a star patient.

“Emmie was, and still is, determined not to be left behind.

“I’m taking all my sadness, anger and guilt and focusing that energy into taking positive action.”

Emmie has global delay, which affects her speech, walking and eyesight.

The charity ball, which takes place at the Holiday Inn in Fareham, costs £45 for a ticket, with all the proceeds going to the two charities. For more information or to donate to the cause, visit www.cmmd.uk.

To book tickets to the event, phone 07876 796094.