A youngster with a brain condition that could have left him paralysed has handed over his birthday money to a Bristol hospital fundraising appeal as a thank you for the care he has received.

Caelan Fast, of Yate, has the condition Chiari Malfunction, which means part of the brain protrudes into the spinal canal.

Untreated, the disorder can lead to disability or paralysis, but the nine-year-old had surgery on his brain to limit the damage and knows he has a lot to thank the medical team for.

When he heard an appeal for money for the Children's Hospital while his mum was driving him to an appointment, Caelan announced that he was going to hand over some of the money he had left from his birthday to thank the nurses for their help.

Caelan's condition was picked up in early 2006 after it was noted that his co-ordination skills had declined.

His mum Kirsty said: "I noticed he had put on a little weight and had become a bit sluggish, then his school took part in a pilot and they found that he could not bounce a ball or hop on one leg. When Caelan was about two his hand-eye co-ordination was really good and it had even been suggested we looked into getting him into a sports academy, but suddenly he had lost that."

The youngster was taken to the GP, who referred him to a paediatrician.

Kirsty, 36, said: "We were rushed for a CT scan because they thought it might be a brain haemorrhage but that came back clear.

"Caelan was then referred for an MRI scan and we were told that his brain was misshapen and had dropped into his spinal entry and the fluid was not flowing through very well."

He had brain surgery at Frenchay Hospital and has had to return for MRI scans and has also spent time at Bristol Children's Hospital for sleep studies and other tests.

Caelan is still a bright and chatty youngster, but his mum said he has gone from being agile to slow and sluggish. And he has had to leave his football team because he is not fast enough to play.

Kirsty said: "When you see him you wouldn't necessarily know there was anything wrong, but when you compare him to other children his age he is very awkward and cannot walk up stairs very well.

"He is very into his football, so I think he was frustrated about that, but otherwise he is very chatty and gets on with things."

Caelan was on his way for another appointment at the hospital when he heard details of Bristol's Big Give on the radio and decided to donate some of his own money. He said: "All the nurses helped me when I was in hospital and if they hadn't I wouldn't be able to walk. I am very grateful to them helping me, so donated."

Bristol's Big Give involved GWR broadcasting from the hospital for three days, sharing stories of the patients and staff, as part of a fundraising appeal in support of the Grand Appeal. More than £60,000 was raised through the Bristol initiative.