The mother of an Aberdeen boy who was told he would die within days of being born due to a rare medical condition is preparing to abseil off the Falkirk Wheel to raise cash for a charity that has helped to improve his life.
Little Baxter Dick was born five years ago, and was diagnosed with spina bifida/hydrocephalus – a condition which means he is unable to move his body below his ribcage, and requires a wheelchair and standing frame to get around.
His doctors told his mum Ailsa Dick that her baby boy wouldn’t survive more than a few days, but the courageous youngster is now a pupil at Dyce Primary School.
And, throughout the last five years, the charity Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus Scotland (SBHS) has helped Mrs Dick by offering a range of support, from clinical assistance to organising days out.
Last year, Mrs Dick helped to raise £650 for the charity by ziplining across the River Clyde, but now she wants to beat her record and raise even more cash for the cause by abseiling off the Falkirk Wheel.
Mrs Dick, 39, said she last abseiled more than 20 years ago, and is both excited and nervous to give it another go for a cause which is so close to her heart.
She added: “When we found out that Baxter had his condition, I phoned SBHS and they have supported us all the way through since the diagnosis.
“They have been so helpful. They make a lifetime commitment, to everybody that gets diagnosed.
“We have a family group that meets every month, and family coordinators – somebody that comes round and helps with obvious things that people don’t think of, such as taking the kids to the park – something that’s a lot harder than it sounds.
“I have raised £120 so far to cover the cost of the abseil, but I want to raise much more – hopefully even more than I raised last time when I went over the Clyde.
“It’s a 100ft abseil from the top to the bottom, so I am sure it will be a little bit scary, but fun at the same time.”
A spokeswoman for SBHS said: “We are almost solely self-funded, so any money raised by you and those who fundraise for us in the north will directly impact the services we can provide in the north.
“Due to some amazing fundraising over the past few years in the north of Scotland, we have seen the support team of SBHS grow and they are now providing one-to-one weekly support to children, clinical support at the hospital, running a helpline, running family groups in Aberdeen and growing the services which are currently provided to adults affected by the conditions.”
Anyone wishing to donate to Mrs Dick’s fundraiser can call SBHS fundraiser Holly Taylor on 03455 211 600, or search for “Ailsa Dick” on www.justgiving.com
