13 year old Angus girl launches campaign to support severely disabled sister

Little Kaela Thould is undergoing life-altering surgery today.

Published 28th Nov 2016

A thirteen-year-old girl from Monifieth has come up with a campaign to support her little sister through life-changing surgery.

Kaela Thould, who's eleven, will undergo scoliosis surgery to correct a curve in her spine, but with being wheelchair-bound, registered blind and with other serious conditions such as quadriplegic cerebral palsy, epilepsy and hydrocephalus (fluid on the brain), the risks are extremely high.

Mum Claire said she's terrified about the procedure.

She said: "It's high risk, the doctors have scared the life out of me about everything.

"With this surgery, she will be away from me for about seven to twelve hours at least and when she comes out, she will be on a ventilator."

Big sister Aaliyah is now urging people to post pictures of themselves on social media with their fingers crossed, to show Kaela how much love and support is out there.

The teenager, who will spend her fourteenth birthday in hospital with her sister next month, came up with the idea for #KEEPITCROSSED after hearing her mum's friends wishing the family good luck ahead of the operation.

She said: "It's basically a way to support families when they need it and it's not just for my sister, it can be for anyone who needs it.

"You can take a picture of yourself, pleat your hair or wear some kind of cross and post it online with the hashtag just to show your support and that you understand what they're going through."

Speaking about her daughter's idea, Claire said: "She's come up with this amazing idea and I could not be prouder of her.

"It doesn't even have to be much, even just a text message showing your support."

Kaela will undergo the surgery at Edinburgh's Royal Hospital for Sick Children today.