Published: Tuesday, 15th April, 2008 10:00
Thousands snap up special wristbands
By Roisin McGroarty
Comments (0)
Print Article
HOPE: Little Jessica
SPECIAL colour bands designed to support the four-year-old’s plight have been flying out the door as thousands of appeal supporters snap them up.
Mum Rachel Findlay decided on selling the hot pink and blue bangles in an extra fundraising bid, initially ordering just 2,500.
However the demand has been outstanding with people, business and schools all over South Ayrshire - and even Renfrew - trying to get their hands on them.
They are all embossed with Jessica’s Journey and are being sold for just a £1. Troon’s Marr College was the first school to sell the bands just before the Easter holidays, selling a fantastic 200 of them to pupils and staff in one day.
Rachel explained: “Everyone seems to be wearing them, I’ve seen a few people with them as I’ve walked past in Troon.
“It was Paul Henron who designed and updates Jessica’s website that came up for the idea when we were thinking about different fundraising ideas and it’s turned out to be a great idea.”
Now another 2,500 have been ordered to send out to all the schools, pubs and shops that want them.
Rachel continued: “I think I will need or organise even more because by the time they go out to all the schools there will be none left. The response to the bands has been amazing, I just didn’t know at first how they would go because they are totally different however everybody’s grabbing them up.”
For anyone who has not heard, Jessica’s heartbreaking story began when she was born, although it wasn’t until she was 18-month’s-old that doctors finally diagnosed her with an extremely rare disease they decided to name severe multiple bilateral pulmonary stenosis.
Her arteries surrounding the lungs and heart have narrowed that it’s extremely hard for her heart to circulate blood and she has undergone six operations to try and enlarge them with stents and balloons. Unfortunately surgeries were unsuccessful and on the last occasions doctors said there was nothing more they could do for her.
Shockingly Jessica’s heart and lungs have become so badly damaged that she could die at any time and last year Rachel was told to plan Jessica’s funeral. However word got to an American doctor who believes he could complete experimental surgery that would give Jessica her only chance for a normal life.
The complex surgery would involve rebuilding her arteries and possibly including heart and lung transplants.
After hearing the story, residents from all over South Ayrshire and beyond have donated all they could to try and get the little girl the £400,000 to £500,000 needed for her to get to America, have the operation and recuperate.
Del.icio.us
Digg
Facebook
Reddit
Stumbleupon
