People just kept 
giving us money

By Gary Moug SINCE we started our campaign to help build a second children’s hospice in Scotland, we’ve highlighted hundreds of fund-raising events. They’ve all been unique in their own way, but surely none has been as poignant as the one that took place in Allanton, Shotts, last month.

The love Donna has for Jack shines through.

A few months ago we told the story of little Jack Charnley. He was born with Patau’s Syndrome, a rare chromosome abnormality that will severely cut short his life. Problems He was born with six fingers on each hand and a cleft lip and palate. His condition also causes several other physical and mental problems, including deafness, breathing difficulties and eye and heart defects. Life expectancy for children with the condition is usually no more than a year, though Jack is almost 18 months old. He had a spell in Rachel House recently after a nasty chest infection, but doting parents Donna and Jason say he’s now back to his old self. To say the Kinross hospice will forever have a special place in the family’s hearts is a huge understatement. As well as offering crucial respite, it was also the location for Donna and Jason’s wedding. At the start of this year Jack began suffering bad seizures and it looked like the Lanarkshire couple were losing their precious boy. They took him to Rachel House as there’s a beautiful, peaceful room there for children to spend their last moments. Donna and Jason had always said they’d get married while Jack was still alive so, on hearing this news, staff at Rachel House decided to organise the whole thing for them. Perfect They booked the chaplain, buffet, cake and decorated the hospice’s quiet room — making it the perfect venue. To say thanks to everyone associated with CHAS, Donna and Jason were determined to give something back.  They put their heads together and the outcome was a special fund-raising event at the Allanton Miners Club in Shotts recently. A staggering £2936 was raised on the night — and Donna says cash donations are still rolling in, so the final total could be well over £3000. She said, “It was an amazing night and the money is our way of saying thanks to everyone at CHAS for the way they’ve looked after us. We know more than anyone how much CHAS relies on normal people raising money. “Ticket prices on the night were £3 and we sold more than 140. We had a disco and a raffle, for which many organisations donated prizes. They included a day at Knockhill Racing Circuit, a holiday in Aviemore, wine, Rangers memorabilia, a signed top from Celtic’s Didier Agathe and a day out for four people at Ibrox. “We also got £500 from a charity football match organised by Safeway. My husband Jason works there so the staff organised a match between the Rangers supporters and the Celtic fans. I think Celtic won! “But what impressed me the most was the way ordinary people just kept coming up and giving random cash donations. “When people hear about CHAS, they instinctively want to help as it’s a cause close to most people’s hearts. “I’m just glad we’ve been able to help, though I must say the night wouldn’t have been possible without the help of our families. Our relatives spent months organising the whole thing and contacting various people and organisations.”

You can e-mail us at: hospice@sundaypost.com