Brave Worthing girl shares her Christmas wish – to take unsupported steps when she meets Santa Claus

Yasmin Roper, four, had cancer as a tiny baby and her mum, Jessica, was told she had less than a 5 per cent chance of survival.

Since that diagnosis at just three months old at Christmas time in 2018, Yasmin has defied the odds – and experts’ views – to the point she is looking forward to taking unsupported steps to meet Santa this Christmas.

In 2018, Jessica was told that the spinal cord injury resulting from Yasmin’s tumour would leave her unable to use or feel her body below the waist.

Jessica spoke of the shock at her daughter’s diagnosis: “My pregnancy scans hadn’t shown anything abnormal but a couple of weeks after her birth I felt something wasn’t quite right as Yasmin was barely moving her legs.

"By the time she was diagnosed, doctors had found a tumour almost 600mls in volume which had infiltrated her spine, causing the spinal cord injury. Yasmin weighed only 6 kilos – it didn’t seem possible.”

While the SCI was acutely serious, the cancer had to be treated first so Yasmin did not reach the specialist spinal cord injury team at Stoke Mandeville until June 2020.

Despite their best efforts at Stoke Mandeville, Jessica still faced the devastating scenario that Yasmin would be in a wheelchair for the rest of her life. While looking for any help that could improve her mobility and strength, Jessica discovered the pioneering spinal rehabilitation work being conducted by Neurokinex Kids.

She said: “I was absolutely amazed; the place is so vibrant. It is lively, colourful and so spacious. It is full of toys and such a happy place.”

Jessica took Yasmin for an initial visit and immediately she wanted to get on the swing to be active and engage: “I knew immediately that this was the place where we needed to be, and with the help of the Step Up Scheme which offers the first six sessions at no cost, Yasmin was on her way and has not looked back."

When Yasmin started at Neurokinex Kids in July 2020 she had very little muscle tone, a weak core section and was unable to weight bear on her legs for any length of time.

Jessica said: “She couldn’t really do anything independently. She still had her gators (walking aids for children) and splints. However, Neurokinex has changed all that. They have given Yasmin back her core strength, muscle tone and control. She is able to bear her own weight and take independent steps, stand for five or six minutes without holding onto anything and is able to get around and play independently.

In September 2022, Jessica took Yasmin to Walt Disney World in Florida – something which had been impossible to conceive happening not long before.

Yasmin was able to stand with all the characters and walk short distances to be next to them. She met Minnie and Mickey Mouse, alongside Donald Duck and most of the Disney princesses.

Jessica said: “I have so many great pictures of her with them. In the middle of the Grand Parade Snow White stopped just to talk with her! We have so many happy memories.”

She added: “I know Yasmin’s story can’t be everyone’s story. But she shows that for some people it’s possible to defy expectations and achieve far more than anyone thinks is initially possible especially with being so young.

"Yasmin has defied what the specialist said with the amazing help we’ve had at Neurokinex, combined with her incredible spirit which shows what can be done.’

Yasmin’s stronger steps are set to continue and her next goal is to be able to lift her knees a little bit further to achieve a better walking pattern. This is being enacted at Neurokinex with the aid of its ground-breaking Locomotor Trainer, a specially- designed treadmill device which helps Yasmin find a better stepping pattern.

She also uses its specialist electrical stimulation device to bring further gains by firing up nerve and muscle responses within her body. Next on her rehab journey is to build strength and mobility in her ankles to give better foot control which, in turn, will mean fewer pressure sores.

Lucy Church, Yasmin’s trainer at Neurokinex said: "Yasmin is a pleasure to work with and always tries her best. A big focus recently has been working on her ankle range and mobility using our Wide Pulse Stimulation device alongside weight bearing. We have seen great improvements so far and are looking forward to what comes next.”

As she works towards that goal, there is another very special character Yasmin is wanting to meet standing on her own and that is Father Christmas.

Jessica said: “Last Christmas, Yasmin was limited to her wheelchair and was less able to engage fully in our festive fun. This Christmas, she can’t wait to see Santa and wants to walk into the grotto all by herself. It will be a special moment and another great achievement for her."