LITTLE Macey Page is like any other happy toddler, always smiling and laughing – and being the centre of everyone’s attention, according to her mum.

LITTLE Macey Page is like any other happy toddler, always smiling and laughing – and being the centre of everyone’s attention, according to her mum.

However, despite the three-year-old’s joyful outlook on life, she is currently battling a debilitating condition that stops her from walking correctly and doing all the things that she really wants to.

In 2008 mum Nicola and dad Paul were told by doctors that Macey had cerebral palsy and now the Potters Bar youngster needs a �40,000 operation in America so she can walk flat footed.

Mum-of-four Nicola told the Potters Bar Edition the operation would completely change Macey’s life.

“It’s so important for Macey because it would mean that her spasticity will be permanently reduced.

“Her walking will improve significantly and will be close to normal.

“Hopefully she will not need any more surgery and it would be wonderful for her to be able to participate in sports and activities in future.”

Macey was born 10 weeks premature with twin sister Grace, who died at birth.

She spent seven weeks in intensive and special care, and since then has undergone regular physio sessions to help stretch her muscles, as well as a botox operation to relax her muscles.

Macey, who turns four on August 17, also wears shoe splints up to 10 hours a day, which enable her to walk flat footed.

But they are “very uncomfortable and extremely hot”, Nicola said.

The treatments so far though are only temporary measures and what Macey desperately needs is the Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy (SDR) operation at St Louis Children’s Hospital, in Missouri.

Nicola, from Mimms Hall Road, added: “Macey is a determined, caring little girl who deserves to enjoy her life to her optimum potential.

“Macey is very much loved by her family and everyone who knows her.

“As Macey’s parents we are extremely proud of her. We want the very best for our daughter, and by having SDR we believe we are trying to achieve just that.”

* The SDR operation involves sectioning (cutting) of some of the sensory nerve fibres that come from the muscles and enter the spinal cord.