Dumbarton & Vale of Leven Reporter | News | Aimee beats the odds to attend school

Thursday, 20th November, 2008

Published: Tuesday, 19th August, 2008 10:30

Aimee beats the odds to attend school

By Ewan McInnes

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Aimee-Leigh with her mum Claire

Pic by: Stewart Robertson

BRAVE little Aimee-Leigh McDonald started her first day of school yesterday (Monday) after beating all the odds in her fight against illness.

It is usually an emotional day for parents when they wave youngsters goodbye at the gates on the memorable occasion.

But, yesterday was especially poignant for Aimee-Leigh’s mum Claire who has watched her daughter battle against Cystic Fibrosis (CF) — a condition she was born with.

The nervous mum says she was scared Aimee-Leigh, 4, would never experience her first day at school because the illness can be debilitating.

But Claire told the Reporter she is very proud that her daughter, who was beaming when starting at Haldane Primary in Balloch, has beaten all the odds.

Claire told the Reporter: “I am really happy for her. When she was younger I didn’t know if she would make it to school or not."

The Balloch youngster has to take pills whenever she eats to help clear mucus and fight infection that could build up in her system because of CF.

But Claire says Aimee-Leigh is just like any other little girl who loves everything that glitters and taking part in dancing.

She said: “Aimee-Leigh is just a typical wee girl who loves her girly stuff.

“She loves dressing up in my clothes and getting nail varnish all over them and she likes having, what she calls, our girly nights in with me and her gran."

Starting primary school is the beginning of an exciting few weeks for former Ferryfield Nursery pupil Aimee-Leigh.

She will be heading to Euro Disney Paris in September, courtesy of the charity Dreams Come True, whose sole aim is to try and fulfil the dreams of kids with terminal or serious illnesses.

And, Claire has just recently passed her first set of exams and completed the first year of a four-year course in Nursing which Aimee-Leigh inspired her to do.

Claire added: “A lot of things would have put me off nursing, but I saw how much people cared when they were helping Aimee and thought I could and should do that.”

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