A young schoolboy from Narberth who suffers with a rare genetic disorder is set to receive a fundraising boost from the Andrew Price Group.

Sonny Gibbard was diagnosed with Hurler Syndrome, a condition where the heart and respiratory system are affected, as are other internal organs, including the brain, affecting both the child's physical and mental development for their age.

To raise funds in support of Sonny, the Andrew Price Group are offering the chance to win a prize of a year's hair care at one of their salons, through a raffle, which will be drawn next year at the Spring Fashion Show at Narberth's Plas Hyfryd Hotel.

Raffle tickets at £1 can be purchased from any branch of Andrew Price and also from Narberth School, where Sonny is a pupil.

In addition to this, both Emma Price (Andrew's wife) and Tracey O'Neil, who runs the Carmarthen salon, will be sky diving in 2013 to help raise further funds for Sonny.

Speaking on Sonny's condition, his mother Sian said that through all of his problems, her son has remained determined and is always smiling.

"When Sonny was born he had breathing difficulties and spent 10 days in an incubator, and continued to have health issues until at four months old he had various tests and was diagnosed with Hurler Syndrome (MPS1), worse still he had the most severe form of it," she explained.

"Hurler Syndrome is a rare genetic condition that results in the body attacking its own internal organs, bone and spinal defects and mental retardation.

"This happens due to a vital enzyme missing that would normally breakdown the substance that surrounds cells. As this enzyme is missing, the jelly-like substance then collects around all the organs and bones resulting in damage and organ failure.

"There is no cure for this illness, although bone marrow transplants do slow down the progression of the symptoms and without this treatment life expectancy is between five and 10," continued Sian.

Sonny had his first transplant in 2008, which involved weeks of intense chemotherapy, but unfortunately his body rejected this bone marrow and he deteriorated, resulting in him having respiratory failure and put on life support for three weeks.

The consultants decided the only way to save his life would be to give him back his own bone marrow, but this meant that Sonny was no better off and still faced with the original prognosis.

Sonny had his second bone marrow transplant in 2010, and responded well to treatment and after eight weeks, was allowed home, subject to weekly visits to the hospital.

"We still have to go for check-ups and different procedures at the hospital and always will," continued Sian.

"Sonny's hearing and sight has already been affected and he wears hearing aids and glasses. He also has severe curvature of the spine which he is having surgery on in the near future and his lungs are severely scarred and he only has 60 per cent capacity of them, meaning he gets out of breath very easily.

"Through all of this, Sonny has remained determined and always smiling; he has a funny personality and is my pride and joy," she added.

Sonny and brother Leo