Hope for ill Highland boy as fundraising target hit
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A MOTHER’S dream of building a garden pod to help care for her terminally ill little boy will be realised after the fundraising target was hit.
Six-year-old Reece Mitchell was diagnosed almost 18 months ago with a rare form of Batten disease, an incurable degenerative illness affecting the nervous system.
It causes seizures, blindness, loss of mobility and early dementia, with sufferers of the heartbreaking condition unlikely to live beyond the age of 12.
The £60,000 specialist care unit at her home at North Kessock, currently being built by Invergordon firm Carbon Dynamic, should help bring comfort to the brave wee lad in his final years. Mum Donna Mitchell, with friends and sympathetic locals, mounted an incredible fundraising drive under the banner of Raise the Roof for Reece.
Ms Mitchell spoke of her deep gratitude to the many fundraisers and contributors.
She said: “This is the news I have been waiting for. Reece’s Pod is just about ready and the last remaining issues have been resolved. This has been a long time coming and so much work has gone on behind the scenes to make it happen.
“It is about giving Reece the best quality of life we can. We have had discos, bake sales, coffee mornings and raffles. We’ve had breakfast with Santa and ladies days, football top swaps, craft days and great excitement when Peat and Diesel band shared Reece’s post on their page, reaching millions of folk.
“We are so very grateful for all the time and effort people have put into organising all these events.
“Everyone has done Reece proud and not just in the Highlands, as we have had donations from all over the country.
“We have met some amazing folk along the way and also done our bit in raising so much awareness about Battens disease. It shows that, when we all pull together, amazing things can and do happen.”
Former Strictly Inverness competitor Iain MacBeath (55) raised the final £1600 needed for the mini-intensive care unit after swapping football shirts for the day at MacCallums bar in Inverness.
Mr MacBeath and his friends Kenny Jackson and Eric Devenny respectively wore enemy Rangers, Celtic and Hearts colours to elicit donations from customers at the bar and Ironworks, where the band Torridon were headlining.
