Chloe Binns, who is about to celebrate her seventh birthday, is no stranger to Oxford hospitals.

The schoolgirl, from Hill Close, Chipping Norton, was born with a radial club arm, leaving her without a thumb and making her hand useless.

Following 12 operations by plastic surgeon Henk Giele, she can now use both hands perfectly.

She also recently underwent surgery on her bladder, and Mr Giele, 40, is planning a further operation on her right forearm.

Despite the repeated visits to the Radcliffe Infirmary and John Radcliffe Hospital, Chloe has managed to lead a normal life, according to her mother Clare, 32, who led a campaign for Mr Giele to be reinstated after he was struck off by the General Medical Council, over an alleged affair with a patient.

Mrs Binns said: "Chloe has been in and out of hospital for repeated operations, and sometimes it's hard to cope as a parent.

"But everyone who knows Chloe says what an inspiration she is - she's a real sparkle.

"Staff on Ward 4D at the John Radcliffe have been fantastic, and if there has been a problem I have been able to phone them up directly and they make themselves available, but it will be wonderful when the new children's hospital is completed and everything is on one site.

"Mr Giele is planning a further operation to lengthen Chloe's right forearm, and he wants to reposition her new thumb, so we're going in to discuss that next week.

"I have no doubt that we will be using the new children's hospital and I urge everyone to support the campaign.

"It sounds as though the facilities at the new hospital will be fantastic, with superb accommodation for parents to stay over with their children.

"In the past, we have been lucky enough to get a private room, but I know that's not the case for everyone."

Mrs Binns, a former auxiliary nurse who had to give up work to care for her daughter, lives with her husband Lee, also 32, and son Liam, 12.

Chloe attends St Mary's Primary School in Chipping Norton, with Clare keeping her diary free to make sure she is available to drop into the school if she is needed, although she would like to return to work as an ambulance technician at some point.

Mrs Binns added: "Sometimes other parents say 'how do you cope?' but Chloe, who is seven on Monday, just gets on with it and that makes things much easier.

"People already travel from miles around to come to hospitals in Oxford, because of their reputation, and that can only happen more once the children's hospital is open next year."

Mrs Binns said she was delighted that Mr Giele was back at work. Patients helped to overturn the decision to strike him off, and the sentence was reduced to a 12-month suspension following an appeal at the High Court.

He returned to work earlier this year at the Radcliffe Infirmary and Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre.