Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Caleb has a very merry Christmas thanks to Alesha Charity set up in memory of smiley Airdrie girl brings joy to brave toddler
SALLY HIND
A young boy who bravely battled a brain tumour is one of the first children to be supported by an organisation created in the name of beloved Airdrie schoolgirl Alesha MacPhail.
Caleb Stirrat, three, received a sack full of gifts from Alesha’s Beaming Smile, set up by the mother of six-year-old Alesha, who was murdered on the Isle of Bute in 2018.
The miracle triplet and his family, from Clydebank, were celebrating the news that his gruelling treatment had been a success when their Christmas was made extra special by a delivery from Georgina Lochrane and her team.
Georgina, 25, from Airdrie, told the Advertiser’s sister paper the Daily Record of her joy at making other children smile in memory of her daughter, saying: “I hope we’re making her proud.”
Ca l e b w a s born prematurely, at just 27 weeks, in January 2016, along with sisters Poppy and Alyssia, after parents Karen and Andy underwent IVF to realise their dream of having children.
The siblings battled for survival and were seemingly going from strength to strength when the family were hit with the devastating blow almost a year ago that
Caleb was suffering from an aggressive brain cancer and had a less than 50/50 chance of survival.
The family flew to Florida in the summer so Caleb could receive proton beam treatment after donors raised £13,000 to help pay for it.
And, jus t b e f o r e Christmas, mum Karen, 34, and partner Andrew, 42, were overjoyed to be told the youngster’s scans appear to be clear.
Caleb was one of three families supported by Alesha’s Christmas appeal after being nominated by a family friend.
Those helped by the organisation always remain confidential, but Karen wanted to publicly thank Georgina for her gesture.
She said: “When we were nominated, I thought there were other children who should benefit first because Caleb has been so spoiled and we wanted others to have the opportunity.
“But Georgina got in touch and said, ‘ You’ve had a horrendous year and I’d really like to help’.
“It was close to Georgina’s heart because Alesha had been at nursery with a child with leukaemia and what we’d been through really touched a nerve with her.
“They gave us a huge bag filled with toys, other bits and chocolates. We were also given vouchers for a day out at M&Ds theme park.
“Caleb was so excited, shouting, ‘ There’s another one and another one’.
“It ’ s amazing what Georgina is doing when she’s going through so much herself. We can’t thank her enough.”
Caleb will undergo close monitoring and scans to ensure that the cancer does not return but for now, the future looks bright for the family.
Karen said: “We’re lucky he’s here. They told us he would have a less than 50 per cent chance of survival but he’s got through it.
“Because it’s such an aggressive tumour, it can come back any time but we’ve just got to live with what we have.”
The family now aim to set up their own charity to help fund research and respite for children undergoing cancer treatment.
Alesha’s Beaming Smile was set up last year.
The non-profit, unregistered organisation, run by volunteers, plans to hold an event each year in memory of the youngster.
Determined to create a lasting legacy in Alesha’s name, Georgina set out to help other struggling families.
She said: “I saw the look on another mother’s face and her tears as she explained how much it meant.
“I got in the car and cried because you don’t see much good in the world anymore.
“Our aim is to show there is still good in this world. Sometimes, you just have to go through the worst to see that.”