Heartbreaking reason nan has lit up her home with Christmas decorations

27 November 2023 , 06:03

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Lindsey Bertenshaw has illuminated her house for Christmas to raise money for her granddaughter (Image: Andrew Teebay Liverpool Echo)

A loving nan has turned her home into a Christmas wonderland for a heartbreaking reason.

Lindsey Bertenshaw is hoping to raise enough money to buy an off-road wheelchair for her nine year old granddaughter, Sienna Alfonso, who was born with half a heart and is now unable to speak or eat properly. Lindsey said: "She was born with half a heart and suffered with seizures and with her kidneys.

"A few months ago her legs and knees were swelling up and they thought she had tumours in her knees. She was being tested for leukaemia but they diagnosed her with HPOA, which is really rare. It isn't treatable and is like arthritis it affects all of her joints so she's not walking."

"But this means she now can't have another heart operation because you need to be mobile. They thought she had cancer." The family has now transformed their home in Hunts Cross, Liverpool, into a winter wonderland to raise people's spirits as well as vital cash for Sienna's treatment.

Sienna Alfonso's family are raising money for her treatment (Family handout)

"Alder Hey have been doing all they can but there's nothing they can do," Lindsey told the Liverpool ECHO. "She loves nature and waterfalls and being outside and gets excited, but with the wheelchair she has we can't do things with her properly."

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Lindsey added: "She's well known in the community and everyone is coming together to show their support. She's been through everything but she's so strong and always happy, the whole community loves her. There's nothing they can do for her now, she's on palliative care. She's been terminally ill since she was born but this is just another thing added to what she has to deal with."

A fundraising page will soon be set up but there will be community fundraisers organised also in the coming weeks.

* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story. You can report any errors to [email protected]

Susie Beever