A HAMPSHIRE family is celebrating after securing the £75,000 needed to help fund the hunt for treatment for their poorly daughter.

The Rixon family, from Sarisbury Green, completed the fundraising target to help six-year-old Emmie, who has the genetic condition congenital myotonic dystrophy.

The money raised will support a one-year project to develop two cutting-edge techniques to test potential treatments.

It’s hoped that one of them will help people with the condition.

The Rixons are one of four families from around the country who came together in August 2015 to start the Congenital Myotonic Dystrophy Fight Fund.

The families have so far raised more than £90,000 to help fund research into the condition via charity Muscular Dystrophy UK.

They have hosted numerous events in order generate the funds, as well as general monetary donations from the public.

Emmie’s mum Sian Rixon, 39, said: “Emmie was born in 2011. Everything should have been fine, but on delivery she was very floppy and needed help breathing. She was whisked off to neonatal after I had a brief glance in her incubator.

“Emmie is now six years old and has moved to mainstream school after two years in a special school. She fights with her brother, she rides her scooter and she makes sure she gets what she wants.

“She loves dolls and playing teachers, and she gives the best hugs.

“But her condition means she has severe speech delay, a very strong prescription for glasses, has learning disabilities and is usually covered in cuts and bruises from falling over.“Emmie and I are so grateful for everyone’s continuing support in helping to fundraise for the Fight Fund. “Not many people know about congenital myotonic dystrophy but it is absolutely devastating.

“We are doing everything we can to find treatment and, one day, a cure for it.”

The whole family, including Emmie’s seven-year-old brother Finn and dad Allan, 39, have helped the Sarisbury Infant School pupil’s charity push.

Congenital myotonic dystrophy is a genetic condition which presents itself in early childhood. It is a multi-systemic Neuromuscular disorder.

The condition is degenerative so while children may initially improve, at some point their muscles will start to waste away.

Up to one quarter of children will not survive past their first birthday.

There are no treatments or cure, although therapies can help manage the condition.

The family will continue to raise funds in its bid to beat the disease.

Carrie Cardale, head of regional development at Muscular Dystrophy UK, said: “The speed with which the Fight Fund have raised this money is phenomenal.

“Their commitment to funding research into this devastating condition is second to none and shows the power of families coming together.

“We look forward to seeing what the research yields.”