Coupar Angus girl Wiktoria Mucha heads to US for life-changing operation, 22 Sept 2011
By Richard Burdge
Published in the Courier : 22.09.11
A young Perthshire girl who won the hearts of local people is heading to America today for a life-changing operation.
Wiktoria with (clockwise from left) mum Aneta, Coupar Angus Community Council chairwoman Ann Campbell, dad Tomasz, MP Pete Wishart MP and brother Patrick.
Thanks to the fundraising efforts of the community in east Perthshire, nine-year-old Wiktoria Mucha, from Coupar Angus, will receive treatment at St Louis Children's Hospital in Missouri.
Wiktoria has cerebral palsy and cannot stand or walk unaided and is to undergo surgery in an effort to improve her mobility.
After saying goodbye to her friends at the local primary, Polish-born Wiktoria admitted to being ''slightly nervous'' about the trip.
Among those who stepped in to assist her and her family was Perth and North Perthshire MP Pete Wishart, who visited his constituents Aneta and Tomasz Mucha to catch up with them on the eve of their trip.
After weeks of uncertainty the family have secured the necessary visas and passports with help from their MP.
Mr Wishart took up their case with the US Embassy in London and said he was delighted to have been able to help cut through the red tape so that the documents were processed and dispatched in time for the family to go to America.
They will be staying in the States for six weeks while Wiktoria recuperates following the operation.
Local people raised £28,000 towards the cost of the trip and more events are planned, while the family have made up the shortfall of the total £40,000 cost by borrowing from family members.
Among the recent fundraising efforts for Wiktoria were collections held in St Stephen's Roman Catholic Church in Blairgowrie, St Mary's in Coupar Angus and St Luan's in Alyth.
The generosity of parishioners enabled Father James Walls to hand over a cheque for £2,000 to Wiktoria's family at St Stephen's to help them towards their target.
Wiktoria's mum Aneta was full of praise for those who had helped, saying, ''No words could express our gratitude to the local community. We will always remember this beautiful part of Scotland and people who live here.''
Mr Mucha said they were delighted at the support and good wishes from the community who rallied round to make Wiktoria's surgery a reality.
In the coming days she will be undergoing selective dorsal rhizotomy surgery with the hope of improving her condition and reducing risks of spinal deformities in later years.
Mr Wishart said after his visit: ''I wish them all the very best for the trip and look forward to hearing of a successful outcome to the treatment.''
Published in the Courier : 22.09.11
A young Perthshire girl who won the hearts of local people is heading to America today for a life-changing operation.
Wiktoria with (clockwise from left) mum Aneta, Coupar Angus Community Council chairwoman Ann Campbell, dad Tomasz, MP Pete Wishart MP and brother Patrick.
Thanks to the fundraising efforts of the community in east Perthshire, nine-year-old Wiktoria Mucha, from Coupar Angus, will receive treatment at St Louis Children's Hospital in Missouri.
Wiktoria has cerebral palsy and cannot stand or walk unaided and is to undergo surgery in an effort to improve her mobility.
After saying goodbye to her friends at the local primary, Polish-born Wiktoria admitted to being ''slightly nervous'' about the trip.
Among those who stepped in to assist her and her family was Perth and North Perthshire MP Pete Wishart, who visited his constituents Aneta and Tomasz Mucha to catch up with them on the eve of their trip.
After weeks of uncertainty the family have secured the necessary visas and passports with help from their MP.
Mr Wishart took up their case with the US Embassy in London and said he was delighted to have been able to help cut through the red tape so that the documents were processed and dispatched in time for the family to go to America.
They will be staying in the States for six weeks while Wiktoria recuperates following the operation.
Local people raised £28,000 towards the cost of the trip and more events are planned, while the family have made up the shortfall of the total £40,000 cost by borrowing from family members.
Among the recent fundraising efforts for Wiktoria were collections held in St Stephen's Roman Catholic Church in Blairgowrie, St Mary's in Coupar Angus and St Luan's in Alyth.
The generosity of parishioners enabled Father James Walls to hand over a cheque for £2,000 to Wiktoria's family at St Stephen's to help them towards their target.
Wiktoria's mum Aneta was full of praise for those who had helped, saying, ''No words could express our gratitude to the local community. We will always remember this beautiful part of Scotland and people who live here.''
Mr Mucha said they were delighted at the support and good wishes from the community who rallied round to make Wiktoria's surgery a reality.
In the coming days she will be undergoing selective dorsal rhizotomy surgery with the hope of improving her condition and reducing risks of spinal deformities in later years.
Mr Wishart said after his visit: ''I wish them all the very best for the trip and look forward to hearing of a successful outcome to the treatment.''
