BRAVE Nuneaton teenager Paige Bailey flew out to America for her miracle operation this morning - just days after an accident almost ended her voyage before it had even begun. Disaster struck when the 13-year-old from Baron’s Croft, who needs an operation to help her walk, trod on a toy and tripped over on her ankle on Saturday. Desperate not to upset her mum and dad, she didn’t reveal what had happened until they noticed her swollen foot on Sunday night. A doctor at George Eliot Hospital said it was broken - meaning the operation in America would have to be postponed and the flights cancelled. Paige’s foot was put in plaster up to her knee and the family were told by their surgeon in the US that she would have to be out of it before the operation could take place. But when they returned to the hospital on Monday, a fracture specialist inspected x-rays and discovered her foot was just severely bruised and the plaster was quickly removed. Debbie said: “Everything’s going ahead. We’re just relieved. We’re flying today and will be in New York tonight before flying on to St Louis. Hopefully there won’t be anymore setbacks.” The life-changing trip is thanks to the determination of her parents Debbie and Paul to raise the £55,000 needed to make the trip. A fan of Michael Jackson, Paige said: “I want to learn to dance but not like my mum! I just want to be normal like other girls.” She follows in the footsteps of Nuneaton youngster Harrison Soanes, who had the four-hour operation, known as selective dorsal rhizotomy, which destroys nerve-endings and allows the patient to walk with their feet flat on the ground. Since fundraising began in July of last year, the family have been bowled over by the response from the community. Paige’s mum Debbie said: “We hit the £50,000 mark on Christmas Eve. We’d still got a fair bit to go but we didn’t need to put ourselves under so much pressure. “From the start it has been hard but without doubt the biggest thing that has helped is that people who didn’t know us said they had read about it in the Tribune. The paper’s the number one thing that has got us to the target. “Everybody’s got things going on in their own lives but it’s just humbling that they wanted to do something to help. “Everywhere we went it was just about Paige. Every one of those people who has donated is as important as the next one. “We even had an older couple turn up who didn’t know where we lived but had been walking up and down the street looking for us. Their part of the Transport and General Workers Union had decided not to give Christmas cards and instead give the money to Paige. They had no idea where we lived but had come out in the cold to look for us. That’s the kind of thing we had. We just want to say such a big thank you to the whole community.” Paige will be examined at the start of next week and will have her operation next Friday. But the fundraising doesn’t stop there - the family still have to raise money to pay for the private physiotherapy and equipment which Paige will need over the coming months. And Debbie also has plans to go beyond that. She said: “I want to carry on fundraising for other people. The community has been so wonderful in supporting us that I want to give something back.” | 
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