In a wonderful show of support and love, two six-year old classmates of Corey Cummings have begun chipping in with a community wide effort to raise funds for Corey to get an operation which is hoped will help him gain the ability to walk.

Cummings is from Coate Water in Wiltshire, UK and suffers from cerebral palsy, which has prevented him from learning how to walk. There is hope, however, that an operation known as a selective dorsal rhizotomy will allow him to use his legs and ultimately learn to walk.

Cummings can receive this operation in Frenchay Hospital in Bristol, but the NHS has refused to pay for it, saying that it is not cost effective. Corey’s family has appealed the NHS decision, and is now waiting anxiously to hear how the group of specialists will decide on the matter.

In the meantime a decision was made that Corey should have the operation whether or not the NHS approves it. The cost of having the surgery privately is estimated at about £24,000 ($38,500), but that huge number has not discouraged anyone who knows Corey.

Lawn Primary School where Corey is a student is hoping to raise £5,000 to help Corey get a bit closer to his dream. Two friends of Corey, Zak Hanman and Zac Stride have already donated to the cause. Zak raised £20 washing cars, and Zac gave his own £5 in pocket money as soon as he heard that Corey needed it.

“We all had tears in our eyes when Zac brought his pocket money in, we didn’t ask for any money or anything. Corey gave him a big hug and a thank you letter, it was lovely,” said one of Corey’s teaching assistants.

The school is planning on conducting a bake sale and running a toy store at the Old Town festival scheduled for June 23. Other events are in the planning and the school is going to place a chart in the lobby to show its progress with fundraising.