A Leatherhead man whose affliction with multiple sclerosis has stopped him starting a family has said his dream of walking with his child on his shoulders is what drives him to raise £45,000 to travel to Russia for a ‘miracle cure’.

Doctors told Alex Green, from Kingston Road, Leatherhead, he had multiple sclerosis (MS) eight years ago, and his condition has gradually worsened ever since.

MS is an auto-immune disorder which affects the central nervous system, damaging nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord.

It can result in a wide range of physical, mental and sometimes psychiatric symptoms.

Surrey Comet:

Alex Green waterskiing before his diagnosis

While he could still play football two years into his disease, now he can only walk short distances – and when he does it is with a pronounced limp.

He also said he has trouble controlling his bladder, which leaves him in constant fear of leaving the house.

But the greatest impediment on his life, he said, is the resulting difficulty he and wife Jen, 32, have had in conceiving a child.

The 36-year-old animator said: “We’ve had a lot of trouble getting pregnant, because the nature of MS, I don’t have total feeling below the waist.

“Obviously if this treatment in Russia worked it might not just stop the disease but actually repair some of the damage my nerves already have.

“It might mean I could play football again – but I’d give up absolutely anything to be able to one day walk with my child on my shoulders.

“That’s the vision that keeps me motivated and keeps me going.”

Surrey Comet:

The treatment would see Mr Green undergo intense chemotherapy before being injected with his own stem cells to repair his damaged nerves.

However, the treatment and the travelling costs would set him back more than £45,000 – and so he set up a GoFundMe page to help him get there.

He has until April to raise the money because he has a place on a trial programme in Russia.

But Mr Green is hoping his story will touch enough people to get there – and he plans on letting donators keep track with his treatment, should he get to Russia, through his YouTube page.

He said: "I’ve become a keen YouTuber in the last few years – and I plan on documenting my journey by video, like a first-person account.

"It’s a cruel, cruel disease but all the testimonies are overwhelmingly positive – so there’s a glimmer of hope.

"I hate my MS and we have to do something about it.

"The YouTube channel isn’t just about me, but I hope in a small way I can raise awareness and help other sufferers, too."

You can donate to Mr Green at GoFundMe.com/letsgetrid and follow his progress at Youtube.com/ThePalmOff