Little Joe Smith faces a lifetime of struggle - but it will take just £1,000 to transform his world, writes Katherine MacAlister.

The four-and-a-half-year-old is almost completely paralysed and cannot speak. He can only communicate by blinking and rolling his eyes.

But all it will take to make a priceless difference is roughly the cost of a decent family holiday.

Because the one thing that would mean the world to Joe is something many of us take for granted every day - a computer.

Joe can make slight movements with his hands, and his parents Wendy and Peter hope he can learn to answer questions and communicate decisions by squeezing a switch connected to a computer.

The couple, of Greater Leys, Oxford, have already spent thousands of pounds on special equipment and Wendy says: "We have been left so in debt. It has cost us about £10,000 so far.''

Today the Oxford Mail pledges to raise the £1,000 his parents need to buy the computer - and we've set ourselves a target of just one week to do it. Joe was left brain-damaged after an incident at the John Radcliffe Hospital when he was ten months old. His devoted parents watched over their son as he stopped breathing for 25 minutes and then spent six months in intensive care.

Peter said: "Anyone who has been face-to-face with death and then survives is an inspiration. If he can fight it so can we."

Joe needs round-the-clock care and there are three other children to support. Both parents have given up work and are hopeful a High Court claim will help, but for now money is scarce.

The past few years haven't been easy for the Smiths - the family was in a condemned house off Iffley Road for several years before being rehoused - and they have all had counselling.

But now they have moved and the future is at last beginning to look better. You can help us to make it even brighter as we set out to help Joe in just seven days.

To make your pledge to the fund, please telephone the Little Joe hotline on 01865 425466, or make your promise by e-mailing us on littlejoe@nqo.com

We will then give you details of how to make your donation to the Joe Smith Fund.

Follow the Seven Days to Help Little Joe appeal tomorrow and all this week on This Is Oxfordshire and in the Oxford Mail.

Story date: Monday 07 February

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