Family launch toy drive for ‘ amazing’ hospital after son’s surgery
AKIND- HEARTED family have been collecting as many toys as they can for a Glasgow children’s hospital to thank the staff for the care they gave their son.
Scott McClone and his partner Collette Murray are dropping off piles of presents to Ward 1E at the Royal Hospital for Children ( RHC) in Glasgow for youngsters who are having to spend their Christmas there.
The amazing gesture comes after their seven- month- old Ajay recovered from heart surgery at the ward. Ajay was born in Dumfries in May and during his initial baby checks, a doctor flagged what they thought may have been a heart murmur. The following week, they were taken by ambulance to the RHC.
The specialist team told Scott and Collette that Ajay had a Tetralogy of Fallot, which is four different heart defects and requires open heart surgery. Scott said: “It was such a worrying time for all of us, but the staff were amazing, they explained everything and gave Ajay the best care.
“They also supported us as a family. Ajay was back in the Royal Hospital for Children for his operation around Halloween and Bonfire Night so as a family it was difficult to miss being together for those.
“We are very family orientated so it was tough for us all and especially Ajay’s three sisters who were so looking forward to spending time with their little brother.”
The family are looking forward to having Christmas at home with Ajay and his sisters Lexi, 12, Ariana, 4, and Ella- Mae, 2.
And after feeling so grateful for the support they received during such a tough period, Scott and Collette wanted to give something back to the hospital while also helping those who will face a slightly different family Christmas this year.
Scott said: “You get to speak to other families with children who have been in the hospital for different amounts of time and you realise that so many people will not be able to have a family Christmas at home.
“We wanted to do something that would show support to these families and that the staff would also appreciate.”
They started Ajay’s Appeal and have been collecting toy donations as well as food to help people who are affected by the rising cost of living.
Scott said: “So far people have been incredibly generous, we didn’t want to spring it on people so late in the year, especially with the cost- of- living crisis, so we have been mostly collecting locally. But we hope to make Ajay’s Appeal an annual thing.
“The local supermarket was also great, they donated some food to us which we will give to Ronald McDonald House at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.
“We stayed there while Ajay was in hospital and they were so supportive and do so much for families too.”
Jamie Redfern, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde’s director of women’s and children’s services, said: “Our dedicated staff at the Royal Hospital for Children work tirelessly to provide the highest standard of care to our patients and support to their families and we are so pleased to see how well Ajay is getting on. “We would like to thank Scott, Collette, Lexi, Ariana, Ella- Mae and, of course, Ajay for their generosity.
“No family wants to be in hospital, especially at Christmas, but our wonderful team at the RHC will always look for ways to bring joy to everyone spending the festive period with us.” While Ajay is recovering well at home, his family hope that their gesture will comfort families in the same situation they went through and that they will still manage to enjoy the big day.
Scott said: “We are just so grateful to everyone for their support, the staff at the hospital who were amazing with us, those at Ronald McDonald House and the other families we got to know at the hospital. Ajay is doing great now, he’s actually phenomenal.
“For anyone going through something similar, we just want to let them know that no matter how tough things get, no matter how hard things are, that they are not alone.”
They explained everything and gave Ajay the best care