Young Felpham woman to complete 24-hour dance marathon to keep disabled six-year-old cousin mobile

It comes a year after Hollie Senekal, 20, a key worker at Bognor Regis War Memorial Hospital, took part in a 10k run to ‘help prolong the life’ of Carmela Chillery-Watson, who suffers from a rare form of muscular dystrophy, called LMNA Congenital Muscular Dystrophy.

Hollie said: “I had an amazing outcome from the 10k run last year and I was going to do it again this year but then Covid[-19] happened. It’s just finding a new way of raising that money.”

Due to her disease, Carmela is at risk of a ‘sudden heart attack’, Hollie explained.

She added: “It means her skeletal, heart and lungs weaken as she grows, shortening her life.

“Despite not being able to run, jump, hop, climb and do general everyday tasks, she never complains about her daily pain and limitations. She is guaranteed to put a smile on everyone else’s face.  

“She has raised money for her children’s hospice as a way to say thank you and she continues to raise money for MDUK to help find a cure for her deadly disease.”

Hollie said Carmela’s disease has ‘unfortunately progressed quite a lot’ since last year and she now requires ‘more intense physio’.

However, this is proving particularly difficult during lockdown.

Hollie said: “She falls in the vulnerable category so her family are self isolating for three months.

“A lot of charity events have been cancelled due to the coronavirus which means there is less money going to the charity that funds the equipment she needs. These things do not come cheap which is sad.

“It’s about keeping her as mobile as we can for the time she’s got left and minimise the time she spends in a wheelchair.”

Hollie admitted her living room challenge on May 17 will be tough but is confident she will ‘smash it’.

She said: “I’ll be keeping my feet moving to the music, and maybe a few films, non-stop for 24 hours.

“I will be live streaming and doing hourly updates. My mum will be joining in part of the way as well as my little brother. My mum is going to stay up with me the whole 24 hours.

“There will be a lot of two stepping, probably more towards the end.

“The whole event is going to be geared towards Carmela, so we’ve got her favourite films, songs and albums. The day is about celebrating her as well as raising money.

“I ask for your support once again to give this little girl the physio and equipment she desperately needs, especially during these uncertain times.”

To donate, visit: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/hollie-senekal

A message from the Editor, Gary Shipton:

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news, I am asking you to please purchase a copy of our newspapers.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspapers.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

Stay safe, and best wishes.