A six-year-old Monmouth girl with cerebral palsy has been told she is suitable for a life-changing operation. The only problem? It is going to cost £40,000.

Chase Vaughan was born 15 weeks prematurely weighing only 1lb 8ozs. She suffered brain damage and as a result was diagnosed with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy.

"It means she has poor balance and co-ordination and walks on her toes, she tires easily and often falls over," said mum Helen Morgan.

"She has very high muscle tone so her legs are very stiff – it is not a degenerative condition as such but her mobility could get worse.

"Chase is a very active child – she does a lot of swimming, horse riding and tennis – but she has to wear her leg splints every day and as she gets older she may need a wheelchair."

Chase undergoes a series of rigourous stretches every day and has had three separate botox injections, which are supposed to relax her muscles, but each one has been less effective than the last.

There is no cure for cerebral palsy, but a new procedure called selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) has proved to be effective with many children suffering from the disorder.

SDR, which pinpoints the nerves in the spine that cause spasticity in the legs, was pioneered in the US but is now being offered at Bristol's Frenchay Hospital.

A few English primary care trusts are funding the operation but the NHS in Wales does not at the moment, leaving Helen with no choice but to raise the imposing sum herself.

"It is a real postcode lottery," said Helen.

"The operation itself costs £22,000, but there is also the intense physiotherapy that comes afterwards – Chase will basically have to learn to walk again, which could take anything from a couple of weeks to a few months.

"We were told last week that Chase is a suitable candidate for the job, so now we need to start raising the money to get it done.

"There is no time limit, it's just as fast we can raise the funds.

"The operation would make a huge difference for us. We don't know what the future holds for Chase but this condition is really taking a toll on her body."

Helen has linked up with the Tree of Hope Children's Charity, which provides help for the families of children needing specialist medical care.

She has already set up an online fundraising page – http://www.justgiving.com/Helen-Morgan8">www.justgiving.com/Helen-Morgan8 – and there will collection tins at Goldwire Stores, King's Fee Spar, Monmouth Leisure Centre and at the Beacon office.

You can also donate by texting ipcn97 followed by a space and the amount you wish to donate to 70070.

Helen is planning a number of fundraising activities over the coming months, and is also keen to hear from anyone with ideas to raise even more money.

Call her on 01600 712856 or search for 'a big wish for Chase' on Facebook.