Aberdeen football stars brightened up the festive season for a number of their young fans facing Christmas in hospital yesterday.
The Dons delighted poorly youngsters at Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital during a visit to hand out free gifts and Yuletide cheer.
During their trip to the sick kids ward, first team goalkeeper, Joe Lewis, played catch with Finlay Thompson.
The nine-year-old is undergoing physiotherapy to help him learn to walk again after bravely battling bone cancer over the last year.
Finlay was diagnosed a week before Christmas last year. So his mother, Tracey, of Newtonhill, was thrilled when the brave young lad got the all clear last month.
Finlay showed off his new fancy footwork to the Dons, including winger Niall McGinn and striker Adam Rooney, as he walked between supports for the first time without crutches.
And, proudly wearing a T-shirt with the logo ‘Santa is a Dons fan’ he quickly showed the players that he was well on his way to recovery.
Tracey said: “He’s a huge Dons fan and has all their strips. It’s been great having the team here.”
Jack Edmond was also excited to meet his heroes. The 20-month-old has a metabolic condition which requires regular physio. But that doesn’t prevent him from putting on his Aberdeen strip on game day.
Meanwhile it was all bright eyes and bubbles from six-month-old Owen Malcolm.
The tot has a suspected heart murmur, but that didn’t stop him from pulling big smiles with his favourite player Adam Rooney.
Team captain Ryan Jack also took some time off from training in order to hand out gifts at the children’s hospital.
He said: “It’s a shame that some kids have to spend Christmas in hospital. It puts everything into perspective, in that some kids aren’t as fortunate as others.
“Hopefully, our visit and the gifts we have given out will put a few smiles back on faces.”
