Millie takes on Surrey Hills Hike
4-year-old Millie is taking part in the Surrey Hills Hike challenge to raise money for The Children’s Trust.
Millie, along with 11 family members and friends, will be taking part in the 1km accessible route option during the event on 12 March.
Explaining their motivation to take part, Millie’s mum, Alice said: “We will be forever grateful for all the amazing support that we received at The Children’s Trust and hope to raise lots of money for such a fantastic cause so that future families can be looked after the way that we were.”
Millie spent 16 weeks receiving rehabilitation at The Children’s Trust in 2022 for a brain injury which she sustained as a result of a stroke.
“Our gorgeous, chatty, energetic 3-year-old had fallen suddenly after standing up from her chair at nursery,” explained Alice.
“The following morning, it became clear that there was something seriously wrong. Millie was stumbling when she walked and was forgetting words, unable to form a sentence. My husband and I saw the signs of a stroke, but thought it couldn’t be as we had never heard of children having strokes.”
Her parents' fears were confirmed and Mille underwent emergency surgery and was put into an induced coma. She spent seven weeks in hospital.
Alice said: “It was so difficult, trying to juggle our time between Millie and her brothers. Her twin brother George found it particularly hard as he had never spent more than an hour away from his sister.”
When Millie arrived at The Children’s Trust she could only sit up with support and was making very few sounds.
“We knew straight away that this was a very special place,” said Alice. “I had been terrified of leaving hospital, as only weeks previously Millie had been so unwell but The Children’s Trust staff made us feel at ease and I knew that Millie would be very well looked after. I remember on that first day, the number of friendly, smiling faces who came to greet us. And thinking how lovely it was that Millie’s name was already on the door.”
During her time at The Children’s Trust, Millie’s sessions included physiotherapy, speech and language therapy, music therapy and hydrotherapy. She started regaining skills that she had lost as a result of the brain injury.
"Hearing Millie say Mummy and Daddy again was truly special and we will be forever grateful to the ever-patient speech and language therapist,” said Alice. “Millie also is becoming more confident on her feet, with walking aids.”
“Through her determination and the incredible patience and expertise of The Children’s Trust therapists, Millie has made amazing progress! Millie continues to flourish at home and is making progress every day. We still don’t know what the future holds but we know that The Children’s Trust gave her the best start to her rehabilitation.”
To join Millie on the Surrey Hills Hike, you can choose between a 10 mile, 5 mile or 1km route.
Sign up for Surrey Hills Hike today.
