LAST Saturday was a big day for Helen Skidmore, of Monmouth, because it was the day she celebrated her thirtieth birthday.

What's so special about that, you are probably asking yourselves?

Well, within months of her birth, Helen was found to be suffering from a rare genetic condition called Hurler's Syndrome and it was likely she would not survive more than five years.

The condition had only been discovered in the mid-sixties and any treatment was purely experimental and open to failure.

The story of how Helen survived the condition and of the refusal by her family to give up the fight on her behalf is a remarkable one.

Proud mum Pat said "Helen is the oldest surviving Hurler's patient, the treatment was so experimental at the time that only two boys had been treated, Helen was the first girl".

Pat and husband Michael, who are in business in the town, were delighted when Pat had a little girl, who they named Helen. They already had a son, Richard.

Within months the joy had turned to despair when doctors discovered she was suffering from Hurler's Syndrome, a genetic condition which would eventually leave Helen blind, deaf and possibly even suffering from brain damage.

Medical experts admitted her to Westminster Children's Hospital, where two boys had already been treated for the condition.

It was agreed Helen would receive a bone marrow transplant, using her brother Richard who was five at the time, as the donor.

"He was not a good match, but he was at least a sibling" said Pat Skidmore. The operation failed and a decision had to be taken on the way forward.

Finally, it was agreed the second donor would be Michael.

Before the procedure, and for many weeks after, Helen was contained in a sterile bubble, protecting her from infections in the outside world.

For weeks Pat kept a lonely vigil, watching and waiting for the signs that her beloved daughter was slowly recovering.

Finally, at the end of October, months after Helen had first been admitted to hospital, Helen and Pat returned home "after what seemed a lifetime of having our family separated" said Pat.

Since then, the daily lives of the Skidmore family has been a series of milestones.

Helen started attending the local infants school, which she quickly adapted to and then adored.

There was the proud and happy moment when Pat, Michael and Richard were able to see Helen perform as Mary in the Nativity play in the end of term concert with all the other normal children.

"The treatment for Hurler's and associated conditions has progressed to astonishing levels over the years, but I do not forget the heartache and sacrifice of so many parents who agreed to treatment for their precious son or daughter in the hope of removing the pain and suffering their child was destined to endure" said Pat.

She said the last 30 years had been, at times, frightening, worrying and many tears had been shed. "But then I have heard Helen giggle over something quite simple and I count my blessings and plod on through the quagmire called life".

Pat said, in making the arrangements for the birthday celebrations, she had come across numerous press cuttings and pictures which had reminded her of what Helen and the family had gone through all those years ago.

"I remembered the fact that Helen was the last person to use the sterile bubble" said Pat. "I found pictures of Helen horse riding, of her on roller skates, so she did all the normal things in her childhood".

She added: "It has, in some respects, been thirty years of hell, but you look at what we have and you realise it has all been worthwhile".

Pat said their son, Richard, who is now 33 and works for EMI, had always thought the world of his sister.

"It was Richard who gave Helen the bone marrow for the first transplant and he has been absolutely wonderful".

Saturday's big day was attended by around one hundred people, many having been involved in various ways with Helen, her treatment and even helping to raise cash for the Helen Skidmore Appeal Fund, all those years ago.

The birthday party raised over £500, as Helen had said she did not want presents. The cash goes to the MPS charity.