Laila battles the pain to help sis
Fantastic effort for beloved Amber
NICOLA FINDLAY
A schoolgirl who battles a rare type of crippling arthritis spent three hours posting pictures of rainbows on lamp posts to raise money for charity.
And Laila McRae wasn’t raising money for just any charity, but one particularly close to her heart.
Now seven, Laila was diagnosed with juvenile arthritis – which only affects one in 1000 children – at just three-years old.
But she battled through the pain to try and raise money for Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus Scotland (SBHS) – the charity that cares for her baby sister, Amber, who was born with the condition.
The charity took to social media to appeal for help to stay afloat during the coronavirus crisis. So generous Laila and her family stepped in.
And already the Heathery Knowe Primary pupil’s efforts have raised over £500.
Mum Leanne Belch said: “The charity have supported the family and Amber all the way through her journey.
“It’s been hard and when Laila heard they needed help she decided she wanted to draw the rainbows of hope, share them in East Kilbride by sticking posters on lamp posts with a link to a justgiving page and raise money.
“It was no mean feat for her given her arthritis, but she did it.
“Me, her dad, Paul, and big sister Emma, spent three hours in various parts of the town sticking up the posters.
“By the end she had to be carried by Paul as her wee legs just got too tired.
“But she’s a determined wee thing, she attends East Kilbride Gymnastics Club and won’t let anything stand in her way.”
The family found out about Amber’s condition whilst she was still in the womb and at just 10-months old, their brave babe has endured 10 lots of surgery.
Often called water on the brain, spina bifida sees extra fluid cause the spaces in the brain – called ventricles – to become too large, leading to swelling of the head.
And depsite a flare up of her juvenile arthritis in multiple joints just two weeks ago, Laila was determined to help SBHS.
Leanne, who was already dealt a blow with Laila’s condition, said: “I was five months pregnant and it was such a shock.
“It was tough with Amber having to go through so many surgeries but she is here, she is with us and I can’t thank SBHS enough for all their support.
“They have been invaluable and we wanted to anything we could to help.”
Leanne, from Whitehills, previously spoke to the News about her heartbreak of watching her daughter crying in pain and having to endure painful weekly methotrexate injections, which are a form of chemotherapy.
Leanne has also helped fundraise for Scottish Network for Arthritis in Children (SNAC) since Laila’s diagnosis.
She added: “Amber will be in a chair when she gets older because she will have no movement below the waist.
“She will have to have ongoing physio and a catheter but she is such a happy wee soul, she is just lovely and is a joy.”
She has also started a page called Amber’s Journey on Facebook which anyone is welcome to follow.
Little Laila wasn’t the only one thinking of others during lockdown.
Inspirational mum, Leanne, started a business when Amber was just six weeks old in hospital after her sixth surgery.
It is called Amber Designer Inspired Fragrance and she decided to show support by purchasing hand cream and handing them in to nurses as well as making a monetary donation to NHS charities.
She added: “I just wanted to show I cared and I thought this was a nice way of doing it.
“I handed them in to Ward 3A at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital where Amber is cared for, and Hairmyres and Monklands hospitals.”
You can still support Laila’s fundraiser by going to www.justgiving. com/fundraising/laila-s-2-6challenge