SEND a text and change a little girl’s life.

That’s the message to Daily Echo readers from the dad of a six-year-old girl with cerebral palsy who has just weeks to raise £31,000.

Skye Cowan, of Parkstone, has been accepted for an operation in America that will alleviate her symptoms forever.

And while donations from kind-hearted locals have already reached £17,000, the extra money is needed by August 28 to secure Skye’s operation on October 1.

Dad Steve said: “We’ve done really well, and we have absolutely loads of activities planned, but we need the money by the end of the month to make sure she can go.

“If we don’t have that, it won’t happen. We’ve been looking at the possibilities of her not having this operation, and the fact is that she may not be accepted for it again. By next year, it may be that she is considered too old for it, or her body may have changed, or she simply might not get selected for the operation. We are desperate to see this through and make sure she can go.”

Steve is now calling on every reader to send just one text each to donate £1 to the appeal.

“We’ve had some support on Twitter for the campaign already,” he said.

“Max from The Wanted supported us, and Joey Barton tweeted the picture of Skye with the text number, which is fantastic. But we really need some more help to make sure that Skye can have this life-changing operation.”

Skye hopes to travel to the St Louis Children’s Hospital in Missouri for a selective dorsal rhizotomy after two years on the waiting list.

The operation will be carried out by Dr Park, who has performed it on more than 2,000 children with a 100 per cent success rate over 30 years.

* Text ‘SKYE52£1 to 70070 to donate £1.

* For more information, visit helpfundskye.co.uk

What just £1 of your money could do for Skye:

* Her sitting and standing postures will be normal

* Her walking will be almost norma
* Her balance will be significantly improved

* She won’t need leg splints after a few months

* She will be able to play with her friends

* The muscle tone in her legs will be permanently normal

* She won’t need physiotherapy after a few years