The family of a baby with a birth defect is raising money to help fund travel costs as she undergoes skull surgery.

Three-month-old Viena Storm Shepherd was born with craniosynostosis, which causes bones in the skull to join together prematurely before the brain is fully formed.

The condition - characterised by an abnormally-shaped skull - affects about one in every 2,000 babies born in the UK.

Mum Anna Shepherd, 27, from Faversham, explained: “It’s not as rare as you would think.

“Viena was diagnosed at a couple of days old.

“Before that, I didn’t even know it existed.

“Even health visitors that we’ve seen, some of those haven’t had any idea what it is. So I think awareness does need to be raised.”

Viena’s condition has left her with cranial deformation that is categorised as “moderate to severe”.

If left untreated, craniosynostosis can lead to medical complications, and can limit or slow the growth of a baby’s brain.

“At the minute we’re not sure how it affects Viena, because she’s still so very young,” said mum-of-four Anna, of Whitstable Road.

“But she will be having regular eye screening and things to check for pressure in her brain.”

Tomorrow, Viena is set to undergo surgery at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London.

She will then wear a helmet for between a year and 18 months.

“They will strip away the fusions which will then create the space between the plates in the skull,” explained Anna.

“Then the helmet will put pressure on different parts of her head, so as her brain grows her skull grows into the spaces that it hasn’t been able to so far.”

Anna and partner Tom Coles do not drive, and will need to travel to London and Sevenoaks by train on a regular basis while Viena undergoes the treatment.

They are now raising money to help with travel costs.

“We need to travel to and from London several times a month, quite often at peak times to make it on time to appointments,” says Anna.

“Which as you can imagine, costs a fortune. And with three older kids too, a little help towards those costs will go a very long way.

“We couldn’t be any more thankful for any and all donations.”

Donate by visiting the Gofundme page here.

Click here to keep up-to-date with Viena’s journey on Facebook.