‘My wee fighter didn’t stand a chance — but he still fought so hard’

BORN weighing just 3lbs 11oz, Ashton Docherty was a “wee fighter”.

He defied doctors who thought his tiny body wouldn’t cope because of problems with his liver — and he was even strong enough for mum Jenna to take him home.

Despite that, he later lost his battle and died of liver failure aged just 19 weeks.

Jenna today spoke of how Ashton managed to spend five weeks at home before having to go back into hospital.

She said: “Right up until we lost him he was such a wee fighter.

“No one expected him to get through the first illness but he did and we managed to get him home for five weeks. I am so proud of him for being strong enough to let us get him home. His little body just wasn’t working. “I don’t think that it was made right to begin with — he didn’t stand a chance but he fought so hard.” Ashton had initially appeared to be doing well. But then he had to be transferred to the intensive care department at Ninewells after tests showed he was having problems with his liver function. Ten days later, he was transferred to King’s College Hospital in London and placed on the transplant list. A suitable liver was found but tests showed that Ashton’s liver was starting to repair itself and it was decided that the operation was too risky because his chances of surviving the surgery were slim.

Ashton battled back and was transferred back to Ninewells before being allowed to go home.

However, he was taken back into hospital after tests showed that he was again having liver issues.

After returning to King’s College, tests showed that his condition had worsened to the point where his liver had completely failed.

His only hope was to be placed on the transplant list again and he was placed in an induced coma.

Suffering severe brain damage stemming from his liver issues, little Ashton passed away nine days later.

Jenna said: “It was time for us to let him go.

“He had been in hospital for 14 weeks out of 19 — there was nothing more they could do.”

Now, Jenna, 32, who lives in the Emmock Woods area of Dundee, has launched a fundraiser in his memory and is set to take on the Great North Run half marathon.

The proceeds will be donated to the Ronald McDonald charity which provided a room where Jenna, along with Ashton’s dad James, 37, and the tot’s sister Ava, 6, could stay just minutes from Ashton’s bedside.

Jenna said she wanted to tell her story to raise awareness of the charity.

She said: “People don’t realise that it is completely funded by donations.

“The support the staff give families is amazing.

“When you are in hospital as long as we were you realise how much the charity does.”

To support Jenna, visit justgiving. com/crowdfunding/ Ashton-Docherty.