Heartwarming: UK girl with cerebral palsy shocks her mum by getting in the car by HERSELF

This is the moment a six-year-old with cerebral palsy shocked her mum by getting in and out of the car by herself for the first time ever.Determined Lilac Jackson managed the milestone doctors thought she'd never hit - after being told she would always need a wheelchair.Mum-of-three Leila Jackson, 38, told how daughter Lilac had struggled with walking and movement since she was a baby.But she said her daughter had always been determined to overcome her challenges. Lilac, from Cheltenham, Glos, shocked her family on Monday May 24.Leila, a communications assistant, said: "I couldn't believe it when I saw her - getting into and out of the car is such a simple thing people take for granted, but that was six years in the making for Lilac."It's such a huge milestone for her."At a year old, we were told she'd never walk, but all her life she has been smashing the odds stacked against her - she is so determined to become more and more independent."This is a huge step forward for her and we are so, so proud of her and how far she has come."Little Lilac was diagnosed with cerebral palsy shortly after she was born - and doctors originally told the family she'd live her whole life in a wheelchair.But the schoolgirl, who lives with her mum, dad Barry Jackson, 41, and siblings Lulu, 15, and Leo, five, had other ideas - and has been determined not to be held back.Aged three, the family started a fundraiser to give Lilac life-changing surgery costing over £100,000 to improve her movement - and Leila said the little girl has been unstoppable ever since.The surgery in 2018 saw damaged nerves removed from Lilac's spine which reduced the rigidity in her legs - meaning she could eventually stop using a wheelchair - as well as improving her speech.Mum Leila said: "Since then there has been no stopping her - after hours and hours of intensive rehabilitation and therapies, she is on track to one day walk without using sticks."She's also a chatterbox now too - she has a fantastic sense of humour and she's always singing Jason Derulo."Leila described Lilac's most recent accomplishment - climbing both into and out of the car by herself - which took the whole family by surprise.The mum told how her and Barry, an IT recruiter, had spent the past six years lifting Lilac into and out of the car due to the lack of movement in her legs - which was becoming more and more challenging as Lilac grew bigger.She said: "I couldn't believe it when I turned around and saw Lilac had jumped into the car by herself, and then did the same in reverse too!"It had a massive effect on her confidence too - when she realised what she had achieved, she was beaming from ear to ear."Although Leila says this is far from the last challenge Lilac will have to face, Lilac pushes herself every day to get closer and closer to being independent.As well as being driven to succeed, Leila told of her positive attitude and how her daughter never lets her disability bring her down."She's such a happy child no matter what," Leila said.

"With cerebral palsy there is always a mountain to climb, always another hurdle to jump or a challenge to face."But when your child has an attitude like Lilac's, you can keep going."She explained that Lilac, who is now in year one at her local primary school, is driven to do very well academically too - and has set her sights on becoming an engineer.Leila said: "Getting into and out of the car is her most recent victory but it won't be her last."When we first found out I was pregnant, we would never have envisioned our lives would be like this, but we wouldn't change it for the world."At a year old we were told she'd be wheelchair-bound for life, but now there is no stopping her."

This is the moment a six-year-old with cerebral palsy shocked her mum by getting in and out of the car by herself for the first time ever.Determined Lilac Jackson managed the milestone doctors thought she'd never hit - after being told she would always need a wheelchair.Mum-of-three Leila Jackson, 38, told how daughter Lilac had struggled with walking and movement since she was a baby.But she said her daughter had always been determined to overcome her challenges.

Lilac, from Cheltenham, Glos, shocked her family on Monday May 24.Leila, a communications assistant, said: "I couldn't believe it when I saw her - getting into and out of the car is such a simple thing people take for granted, but that was six years in the making for Lilac."It's such a huge milestone for her."At a year old, we were told she'd never walk, but all her life she has been smashing the odds stacked against her - she is so determined to become more and more independent."This is a huge step forward for her and we are so, so proud of her and how far she has come."Little Lilac was diagnosed with cerebral palsy shortly after she was born - and doctors originally told the family she'd live her whole life in a wheelchair.But the schoolgirl, who lives with her mum, dad Barry Jackson, 41, and siblings Lulu, 15, and Leo, five, had other ideas - and has been determined not to be held back.Aged three, the family started a fundraiser to give Lilac life-changing surgery costing over £100,000 to improve her movement - and Leila said the little girl has been unstoppable ever since.The surgery in 2018 saw damaged nerves removed from Lilac's spine which reduced the rigidity in her legs - meaning she could eventually stop using a wheelchair - as well as improving her speech.Mum Leila said: "Since then there has been no stopping her - after hours and hours of intensive rehabilitation and therapies, she is on track to one day walk without using sticks."She's also a chatterbox now too - she has a fantastic sense of humour and she's always singing Jason Derulo."Leila described Lilac's most recent accomplishment - climbing both into and out of the car by herself - which took the whole family by surprise.The mum told how her and Barry, an IT recruiter, had spent the past six years lifting Lilac into and out of the car due to the lack of movement in her legs - which was becoming more and more challenging as Lilac grew bigger.She said: "I couldn't believe it when I turned around and saw Lilac had jumped into the car by herself, and then did the same in reverse too!"It had a massive effect on her confidence too - when she realised what she had achieved, she was beaming from ear to ear."Although Leila says this is far from the last challenge Lilac will have to face, Lilac pushes herself every day to get closer and closer to being independent.As well as being driven to succeed, Leila told of her positive attitude and how her daughter never lets her disability bring her down."She's such a happy child no matter what," Leila said.

"With cerebral palsy there is always a mountain to climb, always another hurdle to jump or a challenge to face."But when your child has an attitude like Lilac's, you can keep going."She explained that Lilac, who is now in year one at her local primary school, is driven to do very well academically too - and has set her sights on becoming an engineer.Leila said: "Getting into and out of the car is her most recent victory but it won't be her last."When we first found out I was pregnant, we would never have envisioned our lives would be like this, but we wouldn't change it for the world."At a year old we were told she'd be wheelchair-bound for life, but now there is no stopping her."