A YOUNG girl suffering a rare and incurable brain condition is desperately looking for help to enable her to receive some specialist medical treatment.

Last month, Missy Russell ran the Tees Pride 3k Fun Run to raise awareness of Chiari Malformation and Syringomyelia and to fundraise for the Ann Conroy Trust, a charity which offers support to sufferers.

The result of Missy’s condition is a compression of the brain stem and disruption of the flow of cerebrospinal fluid which causes loss of control of the limbs, dizziness, pressure headaches and other problems.

Despite the condition being incurable, the five-year-old can be treated by regular brain surgery to ease the pressure on the brain.

However, this is where the family’s problems begin according to her mother Kirsty Clough who is set to travel to Oxford early next month with Missy and her sever-year-old brother, Jason, for her latest round of treatment.

The 31-year-old, from Gresham, Middlesbrough, said: “Missy is due to have an operation on October 20 and she is expected to be in hospital for between seven and ten days but with all types of brain operations there is a high risk element to it and she could be in hospital for longer.

“All three of us are going down together but it is still uncertain whether we will have any accommodation while Missy is in hospital so we are trying to raise money to ensure that we can all travel down together and to stay together while we are in Oxford.”

The family is also looking for help to organise a fundraising event in Mink Coffee Bar on Corporation Road, Middlesbrough, on October 12.

The 12-hour fun day will be for all the family and Miss Clough is hoping that people will come along and help make it an extra special day to raise money for the Ann Conroy Trust.

Last week, a cheque presentation event was held at Pixie’s Diner on Linthorpe Road – Missy’s favourite eatery – where she handed over the £1,017.47 she raised for the charity from her Middlesbrough 3km efforts.

The youngster was joined on the run by big brother Jason, seven, who dotes on Missy and has even given up all the things his sister can’t do such as jumping on trampolines and bouncy castles which he calls their “pact”.

Anyone wanting support the fundraiser should visit www.facebook.com/kirsty.clough.14