THE parents of a two-and-a-half-year-old girl, diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder, are raising money to pay for private treatment to help her defy doctors and learn to walk.

Liyla Cooper, from Droitwich, has been diagnosed with Angelman Syndrome, a complex disorder which primarily affects the nervous system, with sufferers usually unable to walk or talk.

But parents Monika, 30, and Shaun Cooper, 37, are hopeful further private physiotherapy treatment will allow their daughter to beat the odds after seeing progress in the last few months.

“When we received the diagnosis, we were told that she will never walk and never talk,” said Monika, originally from Poland.

But she said her daughter is “very determined to walk” and had three private sessions in Poland last year while visiting extended family, which had a positive impact.

On the NHS, Liyla can have physiotherapy sessions every few months, but Monika believes she needs them every week to give her the best chance of walking.

“They [NHS specialists] only see her every four months or so and are happy with the progress she is making,” she said.

“But as parents, we don’t think she is making enough progress. Whenever we go back to Poland I take her for private treatment and it’s working.”

Following the sessions in Poland, which cost £25 each and use the Vojta method, Liyla was able to “shuffle her bum” and can walk with a posture frame which her mum says has “given her independence”.

Having raised £1,600 through JustGiving, Monika plans to take her daughter for private sessions in Bromsgrove, which will cost around £97 each time, using the more advanced Bobath treatment.

Monika and Shaun had originally taken Liyla to the doctors as she didn’t seem to be developing at the same rate as their first child, Oscar, six, had.

“The doctors wouldn’t listen, at first,” Monika said. “They asked if she was my first child. But I knew something wasn’t right. I know that each child develops differently but it didn’t seem right.”

But little Liyla began “throwing herself backwards to get into bed” so doctors eventually agreed to send her to a specialist.

“He took one look at her and said there’s something wrong with her,” said Monika.

Liyla then had a series of tests and was diagnosed with Angelman Syndrome a year ago.

“Characteristic features of this condition include delayed development, intellectual disability, severe speech impairment, and problems with movement and balance,” said Monika.

Doctors also told her that there’s an 80 per cent chance Liyla will develop epilepsy.

“Touch wood, she has not had that yet,” she said.

Monika hopes to be able to take Liyla for one treatment session a week using the money raised.

See justgiving.com/crowdfunding/monika-cooper to donate.