North Norfolk tot Angelina Mills marks special milestone at nursery sports day

Angelina suffers from neurological condition Sturge-Weber syndrome

By DONNA-LOUISE BISHOP, Reporter

Tuesday, July 17, 2012 4:06 PM

 Angelina Mills, who has Sturge-Weber Syndrome, pictured at the Strawberry Patch Pre School’s Olympics. Angelina and her mum, Lisa Massingham, who was an Olympic torch bearer.

A brave toddler from north Norfolk, who has battled with a rare brain injury since birth, marked a special milestone today (Tuesday) when she took part in her nursery school’s sports day.

Angelina Mills, who has Sturge-Weber Syndrome, pictured at the Strawberry Patch Pre School’s Olympics. Angelina taking part in the egg and spoon race, with a helping hand from her mum, Lisa Massingham, who was an Olympic torch bearer.

Three-year-old Angelina Mills, from Gresham, spent the morning running with her friends and competing in an egg and spoon race at the Strawberry Patch Nursery in nearby Hempstead.

Her mum, Lisa Massingham, who also has two sons Luca, 11, and Stefan, nine, said it was a day her and partner Stephen thought would never come.

“We are so happy to see Angelina taking part in the races and playing with other children,” she said.

“She has been so active in everything and her condition doesn’t affect her as she always finds a way to do what she wants to do.”

Angelina suffers from neurological condition Sturge-Weber syndrome, which left her with a port wine stain on her face, epilepsy, bodily weakness and learning delay.

In June 2010 she underwent successful pioneering surgery at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London to stop the epileptic seizures in an operation which involved disconnecting the outer layer of the affected right half of her brain.

Now she has been able to come off some of her anti-convulsion medication, which she has been taking since she was just 18-weeks-old.

Ms Massingham also recently took part in the London 2012 torch relay by carrying an Olympic torch through the village of Rudham, near Fakenham.

At today’s event she brought the torch with her for an “Olympic ceremony” and carried it with Angelina.

She said: “It’s been an interesting journey. In February 2010 we first saw the surgeon, in February 2011 she was walking, and in February this year she started school. I’m just waiting to see what 2013 brings.

“She is such an inspiration to us and the families and children she meets. We are honoured to be her parents and we are so happy to see this day – her first sports day.”

Angelina will have further laser treatment to her port wine stain in August and her parents hope she will be able to continue her specialist one-to-one support learning at the nursery until she is five years old.

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