Nina Moyes at home with her doting parents Andrew and Karen. They say Springboard has made a huge difference to her (16831/1MP)GAZETTE & HERALD: The Gazette is raising money for the Springboard Opportunity Group in Chippenham. ZO MILLS spoke to a family who have been helped by the group.

FOR cheeky, chatty toddler Nina Moyes, attending Springboard has been a real bonus.

The determined two-year-old suffers from Noonan Syndrome, a genetic condition that affects the heart, growth, physical and sometimes mental development.

Nina first went to Springboard when she was ten months old, and her parents Andrew and Karen say it's taught her to be her own little person.

"The staff are fantastic, they're in tune with the exact needs of each child," explained Mrs Moyes, 39. "They don't treat the whole class the same that's the beauty of Springboard. It's made a huge difference to Nina's life."

When she was just six weeks old, Nina suffered a series of seizures, which terrified her doting parents.

Concerned, they took her to see her GP, Dr Darragh O'Driscoll at The Lodge Surgery in Chippenham, who through his thoroughness, noticed that she had a heart murmur and referred her to a cardiologist.

But on New Year's Day 2003, while she was waiting for an appointment, tiny Nina had three more fits.

Mr Moyes, 47, who owns Azuza coffee bar in Marlborough, said: "I hadn't seen the first two and thought Karen was exaggerating. But she had another one as I was holding her in my arms in bed. Her body went rigid and she couldn't breathe. I thought this helpless little thing was going to die in my arms."

This was soon treated but Nina still didn't thrive like other babies her age. The couple's worst fears were confirmed when Mrs Moyes took her to see the cardiologist.

"He just came out with it and said she's got Noonan's," recalled Mrs Moyes. "He was so matter-of-fact. I thought my world was collapsing around me. I had to focus all my energy on not collapsing myself because I knew I had to drive all the way home."

The cardiologist had noticed some of the symptoms typical of Noonan's a heart condition called pulmonary valve stenosis, low set ears and double-jointedness.

Worryingly, the doctors also spotted that Nina had an unusually flat head and sent her to see a cranio-facial specialist. "It was like an ironing board," said Mr Moyes. "I've never seen a flatter head. The experts feared it was putting pressure on her brain and that she'd need an operation to correct it."

But her weak heart couldn't cope with such major surgery, and the family was told she'd need a heart operation first.

"It was a desperate time," said Mrs Moyes. "All of a sudden our tiny baby was facing two major operations before she was a year old. This was the sort of thing that happened to other people, not to us."

Amazingly, Nina's heart condition stabilised, and doctors realised her flat head wasn't as dangerous as they'd previously thought. She no longer needed either operation.

"It was a miracle," said Mrs Moyes. "We'd been through that whole nightmare for nothing. We'd both braced ourselves for the worst it felt like we were mourning our baby."

Since her ordeal 18 months ago, Nina has been fighting back.

She is around a year behind with her physical development, and reached a huge milestone at Easter when she began to walk for the first time.

"When we were referred to Springboard by Nina's health visitor, I just thought it was another nice place for her to go," said Mrs Moyes, a member of the Springboard management committee.

"It took a while for everything to sink in, we were numb with shock. But when we got to Springboard I realised how lucky she was. There are a lots of children worse off than her."

Mr Moyes said: "Noonan's has changed our perspective on everything. I used to want my children to be brain surgeons but now I don't care as long as they're healthy and happy. Springboard really helps to normalise the abnormality of it all."

The couple said Nina's physical and social skills had come on a treat since she'd attended Springboard, and her confidence had soared.

"Nina just loves it there," said Mrs Moyes. "She walks in like she owns the place. All the children there have terrible things and difficult moments but it's such a happy place.

"Nina is the light of our life and Springboard has helped us enjoy her. It's really helped us get through everything."