AN award-winning artist has donated a sculpture worth £20,000 to help raise funds for a little boy from Hale who has a highly degenerative genetic disease.

Ever since three-year-old David Dee was diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) more than two years ago, his parents, Jonathan and Patricia Dee, have been trying to raise the £100,000 needed

to fund the SMA Trust's ongoing research into finding a cure.

The couple set up 'Team David', which aims to raise funds for the trust and awareness of SMA itself, a genetic neuromuscular disease that is inherited from both parents and affects nerves responsible for muscle function.

Although classified as rare, SMA is the leading genetic killer of infants and toddlers, with approximately 95 per cent of the most severely diagnosed cases resulting in death by the age of 18 months.

To help them achieve their £100,000 goal, Stockport-based sculptor, Dawn Rowland, has donated an imposing plaster carving of a life-sized naked female, sat on a platform, to be auctioned off at the annual SMA Platinum Ball, which takes place at the Lowry Hotel on October 18.

Dawn, who is a friend of the Dee family, has won numerous awards for her work and was presented to the Queen in 1993 at the opening of the international exhibition Chelsea Harbour Sculpture.

Jonathan said: “We are so grateful to Dawn Rowland for contacting the SMA Trust and donating such a beautiful and valuable piece to auction at our Platinum Ball.

"We are desperate to raise money for the trust, which is actively funding research across the world to help children born with SMA, such as our David, to live longer and healthier lives.

"Since David was born over three years ago, ground-breaking research has already been funded solely by the fundraising from the SMA Trust.“

For more details about the Platinum Ball and Team David, visit teamdavid.co.uk/or for more details about the SMA Trust and SMA, visit smatrust.org.

To bid for the statue ahead of the auction contact: TeamDavid@journey9.com.