How you can help add years to young City fan Zach's life

BOY, 11, BORN WITH GENE MUTATION THAT AFFECTS LESS THAN ONE IN A MILLION PEOPLE

- By NEAL KEELING

Zachariah with parents Rochelle and Tim

ZACHARIAH Followes has already beaten the odds to reach the age of 11 - he was not expected to survive birth.

But on December 20 he will be at the Etihad when his beloved Blues play West Ham United. His parents Rochelle and Tim from Radcliffe know, however, that every day they have with him is precious.

Zachariah has a gene mutation which affects less than one in a million people. It has left him with multiple medical conditions. But a treatment which is not currently funded by the NHS could, his family say, extend his life by years.

Rochelle said: "He was not only born with the most beautiful eyes and awesome head of hair, but also an extremely rare genetic mutation, 'Change in the TUBB2B Gene'. In addition, when I was still pregnant, he was diagnosed with Lissencephaly (smooth brain), alongside other medical conditions, including Lennox Gastaut Syndrome."

Despite daily therapy, intervention by various consultants, specialised equipment, a great team of carers and professionals, and his parents' dedication, Zachariah's condition is critical.