A HAMPSHIRE mum has made a new plea for help after revealing that her nine-year-old daughter needs another life-changing operation.

Zara Cullen fears she will have to find as much as £20,000 to fund the physiotherapy and rehabilitation her daughter Keeley will need as she continues her battle to walk unaided.

Keeley, who suffers from cerebral palsy, has already had an operation known as Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy (SDR).

Surgeons at the world-famous Great Ormond Street Hospital in London cut through the faulty spinal nerves responsible for the stiffness in her legs.

Now the Marchwood schoolgirl needs another operation, which means her physiotherapy regime will have to be stepped up in the future.

Keeley is going into Southampton General Hospital on September 7 for surgery on her feet and ankles, and will spend the following eight weeks with her feet in casts.

Dubbed the final piece in the jigsaw, the operation aims to give her a more normal gait.

As reported in the Daily Echo, SDR and the accompanying physiotherapy is not available on the NHS, which means parents of children who need the procedure must find the cash themselves.

Zara, 30, of Marchwood, fears she will need to raise between £15,000 and £20,000 to enable her daughter to continue her remarkable progress.

She said: “I really need everyone’s help. I need to carry on fundraising for Keeley’s rehab to continue. If anyone can help with an event - or do something to help raise much-needed funds - she and I would really appreciate it.”

Keeley has literally gone from strength to strength since her four-hour SDR operation was carried out in May last year.

Zara said: “Keeley is doing amazingly well and is always challenging herself to do new things. She can ride a scooter and swim without any physical aids. Every time she does something new it makes me cry.”

Keeley’s SDR operation cost £24,000 and went ahead after a series of anonymous donations helped Zara and her supporters hit their initial fundraising target.

Now they are hoping wellwishers will dig deep once again.

Zara said: “Without SDR and all the people who donated so generously in the past she wouldn’t be where she is today.”

A national charity, Caudwell Children, is helping Zara raise the extra funds Anyone who wants to help Keeley can call Caudwell Children on 01782 600114 or donate online by visiting justgiving.com/keepkeeley moving.