FUND-RAISERS for a local ‘superhero’ have raised over £9,000.

The community has banded together to raise money for the Child Growth Foundation (CGF), a charity which supports people with rare growth conditions which had been “invaluable” to the Kay family ever since the birth of four-year-old Elena Kay.

Elena has a condition known as Russell Silver Syndrome, a congenital condition which means she is shorter and slighter than her peers and has little interest in eating so is partially tube fed.

Elena, who lives in Dolgellau, also suffers with low blood sugars, and due to delayed gross motor development, is not yet able to stand of her own accord although she is making tremendous progress using a children’s walker.

Team Elena, a fund-raising group orchestrated by Elena’s mother Olwen Kay, has conducted numerous fund-raising events including charity runs, bake sales, auctions and evening soirees.

Olwen was thrilled to raise over £9,000 after initially targeting £2,000 for the lesser known CGF organisation.

She said: “Team Elena’s final total is over £9,000 thanks to some match funding received from HSBC and RBS; a successful bake sale at my Newtown office and the Co-op store in Dolgellau very kindly raising money through the sale of second hand books in store for the last few months.

“Elena and I recently attended the child growth foundation convention in Warwick, an annual event attended by families and children with growth conditions.

The event is a fantastic opportunity to meet other families, for the children to socialise as well as hear latest updates from doctors and researchers.

“I thoroughly enjoyed it as did Elena. The theme of the convention this year was superheroes and when I asked Elena who she wanted to dress up she said ‘Me Mummy – I’m super Elena girl.’

“She’s absolutely right of course so a friend – the very lovely Pip Symonds – made her a custom costume.”

Elena, who started at Ysgol Bro Idris in September, is continuing to strive surrounded by her new friends and receiving “the highest standard of care”.

“She is trying hard to work on her walking using a frame and she continues to be a happy, funny, feisty little girl who inspires us every day,” continued her proud mother.

“The annual Child Growth Foundation AGM thanked Team Elena for the fund-raising effort and I in turn would like to thank family, friends, total strangers as well as the Cambrian News for helping us raise awareness as well as superseding our highest expectations in terms of the amount we would raise.

“The whole experience has been totally amazing and from [father] Pete, myself and Elena we wanted the opportunity to publish a huge thank- you to our community.”