A BRAVE young Barrow girl who keeps smiling despite facing chronic pain due to a rare neurological disorder is nominated for The Mail's Christmas Stars.

Kimberley McLaughlin was an active child, but that all changed in June. The 10-year-old became very ill and started suffering severe pain. What started as a migraine led to a diagnosis of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome and Allodynia, which are debilitating and disabling conditions.

Kimberley suffers from severe constant pain in her neck, back, legs and feet. She no longer walks, so has to use a wheelchair, and she can't do everyday tasks without help.

The extreme hypersensitivity of her legs and feet has also resulted in her not been able to wear socks or shoes due to the intense pain. The youngster has also been suffering with tremors in her hands and painful spasms in her feet.

Kimberley's mum, Kat McLaughlin, just wants to give her daughter a cuddle, but she has to refrain from initiating a cuddle as even this causes pain.

Kimberley is a patient of Alder Hey Children's Hospital, in Liverpool.

Mrs McLaughlin says Kimberley is dealing with everything so bravely, and while she has lost so much, she hasn't lost her smile.

She said: "Kimberley became very ill in June of this year. She has Complex Regional Pain Disorder and Allodynia.

"She lost the ability to walk and lives daily with severe constant pain in her neck, back, legs and feet. It is so severe she can't wear shoes or socks. As well as severe pain she has tremors in her hands and painful spasms in her feet. She suffers constantly but is so brave. This year she lost her mobility, health, independence but never her smile."

The Mail works with Heath's Toymaster, The Forum, the cast of Barrow panto Cinderella and Barrow and District Disability Association to celebrate courageous and selfless children in our communities and give them some magical Christmas surprises.

Our bravery and selflessness winners receive an early Christmas visit at home from Father Christmas, who delivers beautiful toys courtesy of Heath's Toymaster in Dalton Road, Barrow.

The Mail also hosts a special Christmas Stars party at The Forum, in Barrow, in the days before Christmas where deserving children meet the stars of this year's panto, Cinderella, and Father Christmas presents them with a gift.

Christmas Stars is open to children from Furness, Millom and south Cumbria who are aged up to 14 years. The closing date for nominations is tomorrow (Thursday December 14).

Nominations can be made using our online nomination form at nwemail.co.uk or by filling out the coupons published in The Mail newspaper. The printed coupons can be returned to Christmas Stars 2017, The Mail, Abbey Road, Barrow, Cumbria, LA14 5QS.

<!--[if lte IE 8]> <div style="width: 100%; background: red; border: 1px black; padding-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 10px; color: #fff; text-align: center; font-weight: bold; font-size: 18px"> Sorry, you are using an unsupported browser. This page will not display correctly. <br /> <a href="http://www.whatbrowser.org" style="color: #fff;" target="_blank"> Please click here to upgrade to a newer browser. </a> </div> <![endif]--> <script src="https://embed-426687.secondstreetapp.com/Scripts/dist/embed.js" data-ss-embed="promotion" data-opguid="93d9f91e-9ec5-47f5-ac14-d53c4b2adc88" data-routing="hash">/**/</script>