A special art auction is taking place at Stroud Brewery on Saturday (April 29) to raise funds for a local boy who needs a life-changing operation.

Four-year-old Asger from Stroud has diplegic cerebral palsy. His family are trying to raise £60,000 so he can receive a life-changing spinal operation and the vital post-op physiotherapy along with the physio equipment to support this.

Asger is one of twins, born prematurely at 31 weeks. Sadly, 24 hours after birth both of Asger's lungs collapsed and he had several procedures including chest drains to help him breathe.

He spent the next six weeks in a critical condition in neonatal intensive care, where he was wired up to various lifesaving equipment and fed through a tube. Six weeks after leaving hospital, Asger stopped breathing and was given mouth to mouth resuscitation by his Dad, before being rushed off to hospital again for treatment.

Sometime during these traumatic events, Asger suffered brain damage and over the coming year began to show signs of missing important mobility milestones. At 18 months old he was diagnosed with diplegic cerebral palsy.

Now at four years old, due to his condition, his leg muscles cannot grow at the correct rate and this is causing pain and discomfort when he tries to stand. He uses a walking frame to get around but his muscles are only getting tighter as he grows.

His family say: "Asger is such a happy little boy and doesn't yet realise the challenges that he is facing. But with your help, we can make his future a better one."

"Life is hard for our family and involves daily physiotherapy and weekly therapy appointments and more often than not, the rest of the family misses out on normal activities because of the situation we are in.

"We have been greatly supported by the NHS and are so grateful to them for all of their support with Asger's journey so far. But sadly we have been caught up in the system delays and Covid crisis, which means we cannot access the services that we need, as soon as we need to and are now part of the very long waiting lists that so many people are facing."

Saturday's fundraising art auction at Stroud Brewery on Kingfisher Business Park will feature a range of unique artworks, including one by Asger himself.

The auction preview is from 4pm with bidding starting at 6pm.

To read Asger's story and to donate, please visit just4children.org/help-asger-to-walk