Maldon and Burnham Standard
·Aug 2026
Colchester girl with rare condition takes first steps
Six-year-old Isla from Colchester, who has rare chromosome conditions, global developmental delay, hypotonia and a congenital heart defect, has taken her first independent steps after years of therapy and rehabilitation. Despite early medical predictions that she might spend most of her life lying down, Isla’s progress has brought joy to her family and hope to other families dealing with complex disabilities. Her mother, Chloe Shuffle, shares Isla’s journey through the Beyond the Diagnosis blog to raise awareness of rare genetic conditions and celebrate children’s individual milestones.