“One small step for Lily and a big thank you to readers” – The Mercury, 26 October 2013

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Amy with Lily in walker
Amy Males, of Old Beach, with her daughter Lily Parremore, 2, in her new gait trainer. Picture: Sam Rosewarne Source: Mercury

A CHILD’S first steps are always a cause for family celebration — but the tentative first steps of Lily Parremore will warm hearts across Tasmania.

The little girl has an extremely rare medical condition which means she only has a 30 per cent chance of ever walking without assistance.

But she was able to take her first steps forward this week, aided by a high-tech walker bought with funds raised from generous Tasmanians.

Her mum, Amy Males, said it was an emotional moment.

“I nearly cried,” she said.

The two-year-old has a chromosomal disorder called Pallister-Killian Syndrome. She is only the 12th known case in Australia.

Last month Lily’s family bought a KidWalk Gait Trainer with $5300 raised through fundraising following an article in the Mercury in August.

The money was raised via an auction on Facebook and donations from Mercury readers.

“We just want to say thank you to everyone, they’ve been terrific,” Ms Males said. “The generosity has been overwhelming.”

Lily has been in her new walker every day since it was purchased a month ago.

“I’ve been told that only 30 per cent of children with this condition will ever actually walk, but I’m hopeful,” Ms Males said.

Lily has also started standing while hanging on to her parents’ hands.

Ms Males and Lily’s dad Tim Parremore, from Hobart, have been told Lily has the brain capacity of an eight or nine-month-old.

So it will require further cognitive development, as well as an increase in muscle tone, for her to make further progress.