You make me feel so special, says little Michaela

Michaela has written to the Observer to thank everyone for making her feel "so special".

Kind-hearted folk from all over Sussex and Kent are behind our campaign to help the seven-year-old, from Ingrams Avenue - but there is still a long way to go.

Progeria is an incurable, painful, ageing children's condition that has made Michaela lose her hair and have problems walking. It usually claims the lives of its victims by the age of 15.

Children age eight times faster than normal, often becoming frail, with poor sight or hearing, crippling arthritis, strokes, heart attacks or other trials of old age. There are only five known cases in Britain and 40 in the world.

The Observer is helping Michaela's parents Lizzie, 26 and Pat, 31, raise funds to take Michaela and her two sisters, Melissa, five and Chloe, two, on holiday to a progeria centre in America.

As well as offers of fun outings to help make Michaela's life more bearable, cheques and cash towards the American trip are pouring into our offices, but more are needed.

Two weeks after our campaign began we have received 163 letters, cards, poems and donations for Michaela, which we have passed to her mother.

Some are from as far afield as Canterbury, Southend and even Belgium and Holland.

Our readers have offered to fund raise through sponsored slims, raffles and a pub party night. We hope schools, youth groups and businesses will join in. Lizzie said: "We're absolutely stunned at people's generosity. We cannot believe it."

The family recently moved from Sheffield to be near fellow Bexhill progeria sufferer, little Hayley Okines, four.

Lizzie said: "The girls have become very close. Bexhill people are so friendly. In Sheffield they were unkind to MIchaela and children made fun of her appearance.

"Michaela wants me to buy thank you cards for everyone who has written."

The latest sponsored slimmers are Tanya Mellis, 24, of Reginald Road, who hopes to raise 500 if workmates at Sainsbury's, Buckhurst Place, back her, and Julie Cutting, 31, of North Road.

The William the Conqueror pub, Rye Harbour, is arranging a fund-raising night and the Ex-Catalogue Store, Ninfield Road, Sidley has said it will display posters for fund-raising events.