TEN-year-old Poppy Jones from Crickhowell has been chosen to front Welsh children’s hospice Ty Hafan’s Christmas campaign.

Poppy was diagnosed with quadriplegic cerebral palsy and chronic lung disease when she was just a year old - and at times doctors didn’t know if she would see another Christmas.

Despite her recurring health problems, Poppy’s father, Rob Jones, describes her as a big personality with a great sense of humour – and credits this partly to the support Ty Hafan, the hospice for children in Wales, has given Poppy over the last four years.

Rob said: "Ty Hafan allows Poppy to be herself. She loves the banter and is made to feel like one of the girls. She’s not prejudged because she is in a wheelchair, she is treated like a typical girl of her age who wants to enjoy life."

The charity has asked Poppy and her family to front its ’Precious Moments’ Christmas appeal, which aims to raise funds to enable the charity to continue to provide much-needed emotional and practical support to families who have children with life-limiting conditions.

With the public’s support, Ty Hafan hopes to create many more valuable moments for these families to share with one another.

As part of the appeal, people are also being encouraged to share their own precious moments with Ty Hafan on social media in the run up to Christmas, using #preciousmoments and tagging @TyHafan either on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

Poppy is one of more than 600 children with life-limiting conditions in Wales that Ty Hafan has helped over the last 15 years.

The charity also supports the families of these children, allowing them the ability to do things that come easier to other families: "It’s the only place we can go as a family to have a complete rest,” said Rob.

"We are so grateful to everyone who supports Ty Hafan as there is no alternative for families like ours. Without Ty Hafan we wouldn’t have a caring, supportive service for children with life-limiting conditions."

It costs £4m a year to provide the charity’s state-of-the-art facilities in Sully, South Wales, and its support services to families out in the community.

An individual donation of £23 would provide an hour of care and support to a child and their family, but the charity is urging people to donate whatever they feel they are able to, as the whole operation depends on the generosity of the public.

Jenna Lewis, head of individual giving at Ty Hafan, said: "At Ty Hafan we strive to create as many special memories for families as possible. Our appeal is a way of asking people to think about their own precious moments and share them online.

"The support that Ty Hafan provides extends further than our hospice and is delivered in the family home, at hospital and in schools across Wales. Our hope is that the public will support our Christmas appeal so we can continue providing families with precious moments that they can cherish forever."