Harpenden father David Horton's charity climb for son's life-changing operation Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy

Along with his wife Rebecca, Mr Horton hopes to raise £50,000 towards a life-changing operation, Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy, for his four-year-old son Will, who has cerebral palsy.

The 41-year-old will climb Europe’s highest mountain, Mont Blanc in September.

Will is heavily affected physically and doctors have warned that as he grows, the cerebral palsy will cause deformities with increasing limitations to his movements.

The Horton family.

"This is a race against time. We have been told Will should have the operation before he reaches the age of six, before his ankles and hips start to develop.

"He is a joy to be around, a bright young man with a wonderful sense of humour.

"He is the bravest little boy I have ever met. He visits the hospital countless amount of times but he just seems to take it all in his stride."

Will regularly visits Great Ormond Street Hospital for therapy and after recent assessment; he has been told he is viable for the operation, originally developed in the USA and now available in London.

Unfortunately funding is not available through the NHS and Will’s family have to raise their own funds for the operation.

The operation will offer comfort, physical support and the possibility for Will to walk with a frame.

Mr Horton of Aplins Close said: "This is incredibly important to us.

"As a family we are incredibly tight and we pull together, lick our wounds and carry on.

"My wife and eldest daughter, Olivia, are incredible with Will and Rebecca has given up full time work to be his carer.

"The hardest thing is we will never reach a time where we can come to terms with Will having cerebral palsy because there is always a milestone to be measured up.

"As parents we are regularly hit with milestones to cross and it is tough because we are always trying to hit them.

"We recovered from the first milestone when he hit the time where he didn’t walk.

"This is our next one."

Will is the youngest member of the Disability Snowsports UK and is due to start at Crabtree Infants School in September where his sister attends.

Mrs Horton has also recently completed a night cycle in London to raise £7,000 towards the operation.

A part time ski-instructor at Hemel Hempstead Snow Centre, Mr Horton now plans to do the same and has been running up the slopes with a rucksack while regularly swimming and running as part of his training. Mr Horton added: "I am determined get to the top.

"I think it is going to be emotional and I’ll be an absolute mess.

"We have had some dark times coming to terms with everything so I am really looking forward to the challenge. There will be that sense of relief."

To sponsor Mr Horton visit http://www.justgiving.com/willtoclimb.