A BRADFORD on Avon teenager who has spent most of this year in a hospital bed is looking forward to the New Year.

Miranda Meldrum, who will be 14 in January, is continuing to make good recovery from a very rare form of brain haemorrhage which left her unable to walk, talk or sing.

After four months in intensive care, Miranda is making good progress in the neuro-science and neuro-rehabilitation ward at Bristol Children’s Hospital.

The haemorrhage on April 25 left Miranda with ‘Locked-in Syndrome’ - a condition which means she was fully conscious and aware but could not move or communicate verbally due to a complete paralysis of nearly all voluntary muscles in her body.

In her latest update on Miranda’s gofundme fundraising website, her mother, Dr Stella Meldrum, says Miranda is now able to hold up her head for five minutes and a tracheostomy has been taken out of her throat.

Dr Meldrum said: “The tracheostomy was taken out in November and the site is healing well so there will scarcely be a scar. Miranda is also typing with one finger on Facebook and Messenger to her friends and family.

“Other physical progress includes being able to write with her left hand because it’s a bit easier than using her right hand, although she is right-handed, and she is sitting for 30 minutes.

“Miranda can now also stand for five minutes and her eyesight is improving in leaps and bounds. She is now learning how to communicate using Makaton sign language.

“She is able to say a few words and able to sing a few notes in perfect pitch, which is fantastic news because Miranda has a beautiful voice and loves to sing.

“The consultants and nurses are absolutely delighted with her progress, as she is still in good spirits and inspiring everybody.

"She is entertaining them all with pillow fights and is generally moving much more.There’s a long way to go but Miranda continues to make steady daily improvement.

"Her friends and her Year 6 junior school teacher Emma Tyler have been absolute stars by coming in regularly to see her.

“The Bristol Children’s Hospital staff have all been wonderful and there’s been a big team effort all round to bring Miranda back – in steps – to the teenager she used to be.”

After the brain haemorrhage, Dr Meldrum launched a gofundme appeal to raise an initial £10,000 to buy special ‘eye-gaze’ equipment that would enable Miranda to communicate.

The appeal hit its target within 17 days and has since been increased to £20,000 to pay for ongoing physiotherapy, speech therapy and any equipment that Miranda needs. So far, the appeal has raised £16,495.

It has been boosted by funds raised by family and friends, who staged a special ‘Break Through Silence’ fundraising concert at the Wiltshire Music Centre in October.

In addition, her Year 9 friends at St Laurence School in Bradford on Avon staged a party that raised a further £600.

Dr Meldrum added: “We still need to raise money for lots of ongoing therapies that Miranda will need when she is able to leave hospital. Complex muscle stimulation equipment will be required to help Miranda’s muscles to progress more.

“Miranda will also require a motorised wheelchair for tired times – although she hopes one day to walk again – and we will need to have cars and our home specially adapted to cater for her safety and ongoing recovery.”

To help support Miranda’s recovery, go to:https://www.gofundme.com/lis-locked-in-syndrome-aged-13