Doing it for Paige
Sponsored walk to help raise cash for dream trip
A brave little girl who has been left unable to walk after an aggressive virus attacked her nervous system is hoping for a dream holiday thanks to some bighearted fundraisers.
Paige Gibson ( 5) was recently diagnosed with Enterovirus Virus D-68, a rare bug which has caused serious complications.
She has contracted ( AFM) Acute Flaccid Myelitis and scoliosis off the spine and has spent the last 11 weeks at the Sick Kids Hospital in Edinburgh.
As a result, Paige now cannot stand or walk unaided or sit for long periods of time.
Her left upper arm has also been affected and she also splints and needs a wheelchair.
Paige has been told she probably won’t be able to leave hospital until at least the end of January.
But she has been given hope of eventually going on the trip of a lifetime to Disneyland Paris thanks to supporters who heard how brave she is and want to help.
Paige lives in Stoneyburn with her mum Alana, stepdad Colin, brother Dylan (15), sisters Natasha (13) and Bethany (7) and her stepsister Skye (19) and stepbrother Cole (16).
Stoneyburn woman Carolanne Abercrombie decided she wanted to help the family and organised a fancy dress sponsored walk across the Forth Road Bridge on December 16.
Paige’s mum, stepdad, siblings, aunties, uncles and friends are all doing the walk.
Alana explained: “Paige’s whole life has been changed as before becoming ill she was nonstop.
“She had just started primary 1 and nothing slowed her down.
“Paige was a happy, active and fun loving little girl.
“It has affected us as a family as we have all had to adapt to Paige being in hospital for such a long time and myself being at hospital with her for the whole period.
“We also have very little family time which has had a knock-on affect with her siblings, especially Bethany as they did everything together.
“Currently Paige is on a strong painkillers three times a day, something to help her to go to toilet and something to help her sleep.
“There is nothing medically the doctors can do as there is no cure.
“All that can be done is intensive physio therapy and occupational therapy.”
“She wi l l b e in hospital until at least end of January, but will get weekend passes eventually.
“No one knows if Paige will regain her ability to walk unaided as there’s no end prognosis.”
Alana continued: “The sponsored walk was organised from Carolanne Abercrombie, a lady in Stoneyburn where we live, who wanted to raise money for Paige so that we could give her a weekend to remember and for extra therapies when she is home.
“The walk is on December 16 across the Forth Road Bridge and will be in fancy dress.
“My absolute dream would be to raise money to take her and her siblings to Disneyland Paris and I would like to thank Carolanne for organising it.”
For more information about the fundsraiser and Paige visit Paige’s Journey on Facebook and to donate search for alana-miller-1 on Just Giving.