Brave Charlotte Bottger is one step closer to fulfilling her dream to walk.
The four-year-old, who has cerebral palsy, is back home in Gloucester after a ground-breaking operation in America, called selective dorsal rhizotomy which aims to reduce the tightness in Charlotte's legs which could enable her walk.
Although the ongoing treatment is tough on all of the family, doctors were quick to say that the operation was a success.
Charlotte is no longer in constant pain and the spasticity in her legs has disappeared.
Mum Kate said: "The doctors worked out which nerves were causing the spasticity and cut them.
"She now has zero spasticity in her lower limbs but now has to learn to use the muscles she hasn't been able to use until now.
"There is a long road to go down. This is only the very beginning.
"We are taking it slow and steady and seeing how she goes.
"But doctors say she will be walking with a walker by the end of the year."
Kate and husband James, as well as daughters Charlotte and baby Harriet, flew to the USA last month for the operation and medical care which could give Charlotte the chance to walk.
They spent five weeks at St Louis in Missouri where Charlotte had the ground-breaking operation and underwent three weeks of intensive physiotherapy.
The family arrived back home on Friday and treatment continues, including physiotherapy twice a day and daily exercises.
Charlotte will also undergo hydrotherapy sessions and horse riding lessons
Kate said: "She has a long way to go to teach her limbs to use her muscles in a normal pattern so she has to make the most of using them.
"Her quads ache because she is using them for the first time and she is ticklish on her toes because she is able to interpret messages from the brain better.
"Instantly her hands also have better movement and her speech is clearer because the spasticity affected her ability to send messages to and from the brain.
"It is like the fog has been lifted from her brain and she has come alive a lot more."
Dad James' epic Christmas climb of Robinswood Hill was the pinnacle of a year spent raising funds to pay for the medical care Charlotte needs, which will cost £60,000 in total.
The fundraising effort was dreamt up by the Superhero Foundation, set up by Gloucester cousins and adventurers Jamie McDonald and Kev Brady.
It will pay for ongoing therapy and a specialised bike from Tomcat Trikes, based in Hucclecote.
Kate said: "We went along on Friday to get Charlotte measured up and they were just wonderful.
"Charlotte has picked a sparkly pink bike which we will hopefully be able to pick up in six weeks."
