Brave little boy needs your help

1:26pm Tuesday 30th October 2007

LITTLE Riley Watham was never expected to reach his first birthday - and up to now his life has been one long struggle.

The Pontypool youngster was born with hydrocephalus, water on the brain, which left him severly brain damaged and almost completely blind.

Just two weeks after he was born, Riley had two close shaves when he suffered from pneumonia and later, an infection in his brain.

He will never be able to walk and has to be fed through a tube.

But in spite of everything, Riley keeps battling through and celebrated his first birthday this month.

Now his parents are appealing for people to help fund specialist equipment for their "little star."

Parents Samantha Lewis, 36, and Martin Watham want to buy sensory toys which Riley will be able to respond to and special equipment to make him feel more comfortable.

Miss Lewis told www.southwalesargus.co.uk: "We don't know how long we've got with him, it's heart breaking.

"We want to give him so much but we just don't have the money.

"He's spent a lot of time in hospital and we want to be able to give him as many happy memories as we can."

Miss Lewis added: "He's such a little fighter and we love him to bits, he's a star.

"So many people keep saying to us that it must be hard, but we just see him as Riley- we don't see the other problems around him and we don't let it get us down.

Riley has six brothers and sisters Daniel, 12, Gavin, ten, Megan, eight, Morgan, six, Shannon, four, and Ross, two.

Miss Lewis said it has been tough telling Riley's siblings about his illness.

She said the children have never been on holiday and she hopes to take them someday.

The next challenge the family face is just around the corner.

Riley is due to have an operation in a couple of weeks at Cardiff's University Hospital of Wales to stop him from constantly being sick and help him gain weight, but it does come with some risk.

Miss Lewis said: "We'll just have to keep crossing our fingers for Riley."

If think you would like to help Riley please contact Samantha Lewis on 07985506311.