A ROSYTH family grateful for the help their son received as he battled a life-threatening lung infection has raised almost £18,000 for the Sick Kids Friends Foundation (SKFF).

Neeson Scott was struck down with pneumococcal pneumonia at the age of 14 months and spent eight weeks in intensive care in Edinburgh fighting for survival.

His parents barely moved from the Royal Hospital for Sick Children as doctors tried to save their son and mum Helena hasn’t forgotten the help they received.

She said, “The SKFF is so important because it helps remove all the stresses of everyday life for parents, allowing them to focus on that one stress they shouldn’t have – a sick child.

“For the first week of Neeson’s hospital stay his dad John and I didn’t have to leave the hospital once as we were given access to all the essentials including bedding, showers, soap and toothpaste. This is all thanks to the foundation.

“The charity also funds portable DVD players which we used to play music to Neeson. This really settled him and made the tense atmosphere of the intensive care unit far more relaxing.

“When you spend 24 hours a day watching your baby fight for his life, it’s the little things that make a world of difference to your day-to-day.” Now aged four and fully recovered, Neeson and big sister Ashleigh (17) have joined in with the fund-raising with a recent charity band night in Rosyth adding £800 to their total. The Scotts kick-started their fundraising feats in summer 2012 when they hosted a family fun day which raised more than £15,000 for the SKFF.

Race nights have added to the funds and Helena said, “When we first set out to fund-raise we had a target of £500 so we’re astonished that a few years on we’re almost at the £18,000 mark.

“It’s down to our local community and their generous support that we’ve been able to make this happen and we can’t thank them enough. I know these funds will go towards brilliant and worthwhile work at the hospital.” The SKFF provides daytime living areas, showers and everyday supplies and amenities for parents at the RHSC. It also funds portable DVD players and other family-friendly distractions for the thousands of young patients who travel from across Scotland each year to be treated at the hospital.

Helena added, “We want to raise as much money as possible so that there are more of these items that make hospital life easier readily available to every child and parent visiting the hospital.” Rachel McKenzie, head of voluntary fundraising at the SKFF, said, “Helena recognises first-hand the impact of the work we do and we’re grateful that she has continued to support the cause and help make life easier for other parents with sick children at the hospital.

“We are reliant on selfless fundraisers like the Scott family, and the generosity of wider communities, to allow us to continue raising the £1.6 million required every year to make the sick kids better.”