If you cuddle me, will everything be OK Mummy?

The tents in the car, Holly and Scott are grudgingly up early for a Saturday morning as their sister, Zoey, roped them into being Volunteers tomorrow and I’m writing a Blipfoto . . . Can only mean one thing? It’s Speyside Kiltwalk weekend and a weekend I’m really looking forward to.

I had the pleasure of being in Aberlour last year for our inaugural Speyside Kiltwalk and had an absolute blast. The only downside is I didn’t stay over on the Sunday evening, which meant that as Aberlour partied, I had to head home to Glasgow. So with two nights booked at the Aberlour Gardens Caravan and Camp site, I’m not making that mistake again.

Today is all about final preparation and set up for tomorrow, to ensure what will be close to 800 Kiltwalkers, know where to register, don’t get lost on the route and perhaps most important of all have a seat in the Marque to enjoy that well deserved beer, or two. Once that’s all done I think it will be over to the Mash Tun for something to eat and a few ‘relaxers’ to ensure a good night’s sleep. Note: Not recommended for Kiltwalkers :-)

I’m also looking forward to meeting people who 18 months ago I’d never heard of, but through the Kiltwalk have now become friends. Some through devastating circumstances, others through the warmth and goodness of their heart as they do what they can to help Scotland’s Children.

There will be Jim Hart, who I was going to say is taking a well deserved break from organising this year, however he’s walking, so I’m not sure you could call that a break. Then there’s Ronnie, Linda, Karen, Tammy, Susan, Joanne, Mike, Sam, Ashley and Elaine who are all Kiltwalk nutters, but we love them for it.

I’m also looking forward to meeting our Speyside Kiltwalk Kids. Oor Rhiona will be there, and we all ken her and her marvellous achievements, however I’m really looking forward to meeting Oor Isla, see http://www.blipfoto.com/entry/1980473 and Oor Keane, see http://www.blipfoto.com/entry/2516241

Isla, who started her first day of school last week, is currently in remission from Neuroblastoma, which was diagnosed when she was five months old. Sam and Ross Isla’s Mum and Dad have already taken part in this year’s Glasgow and Hampden Kiltwalks and both are signed up to take part in Speyside, however Ross has managed to get ‘stuck’ in Norway, where he’s currently working. I don’t know, the lengths people go to, to cop out of the challenge that is Speyside, however Sam’s still walking it, twice.

Then there’s the whirlwind that is Keane. At the age of three, doctors detected a tumour on his optic nerve termed as a glioma and it was only then, specialists realised Keane had a long term health condition called neurofibromatosis which was causing these tumours. Keana faces a bleak future, as if, or when he has an operation to remove the glioma, he will lose his eyesight. You’ll need no introduction to Oor Keane, as he will be resplendent in his Kiltwalk Kilt as he leads us all out.

Finally, I’m looking forward to see the gaggle of over 40 “white Aila’s Amblers Caps” as they swarm across Speyside, raising money for The Kiltwalk and The Aila Coull Foundation.

Aila, pictured above hugging her Mummy, was born in April 2011. A little sister to Archie and a much longed for daughter to Sine & Fraser. Aila was a happy, normal, content baby who was happy to sit and watch the world go by, taking everything in around her.

Aila had a healthy appetite, her Mum used to say you barely had to wipe her face or plate after a meal, as everything went “down the hatch”.
That all changed in Feb 2012 when Aila went completely off her food. A week later, she had a nosebleed lasting 36 hours, which then bled intermittently for the rest of that week. Sine and Fraser also noticed she had been bruising very easily and as the hours and days past, she became paler and paler.

This went on for 6 days and realising things we far from right, Sine and Fraser sought medical help at which point the Coull family’s lives were to change forever. Aila was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia, she was just 10 months old.

Today’s Blipfoto picture, was taken a week after Aila had been diagnosed. She was on aggressive chemo and feeling lousy and you can see from her face, she just wants her Mummy to hold her tight and tell her she’ll be OK.

In an attempt to beat AML, Aila was subjected to some of the most intense chemotherapy protocols available to a small baby over a 5-month period in Yorkhill Children’s Hospital, Glasgow. The strength of this chemo caused her immune system to be so depleted, she spent the majority of her time in hospital, almost a third of her life!!

She had to be kept in strict isolation where she could have no visitors. Only her Mummy and Daddy and the medical staff taking care of her, could be in her room.

She would bounce at the window every time she saw her grandparents looking in and her big brother, Archie, kept her smiling by shouting through a vent in the wall and Aila gaggled back in return.

She had no cuddly toys, as everything had to be hard, plastic & wipeable to reduce her chances of catching an infection, which could have been fatal.

The chemo, as it always does, caused horrible side effects, but Aila sailed through. The sterile environment of her hospital room became her home and she thrived in there. When others on the ward asked how she was coping with her treatment, we used to say “chemo-schmemo”.
She was just a happy little girl and it took everyone’s breaths away how she took everything in her stride. She danced through soaring temperatures and escaped going up to the intensive care unit at Yorkhill as often as she could by the skin of her teeth. Sine reckons this was because she knew she couldn’t watch Cbeebies up there!

However, devastatingly, Aila’s leukaemia was extremely chemo resistant and as each 5-6 week round of treatment finished, more leukaemia came back.

There was still hope as Aila was all set to have a bone marrow transplant, but sadly they couldn’t clear enough leukaemia to be able to successfully transplant her.

So on the 10th of August, 5 months to the day after her diagnosis, the Coull’s packed up and left Yorkhill Children’s Hospital for the last time and headed home.

There was no more treatment available that would save Aila, it was time to face what no parent should ever have to face.

Aila had 3 precious weeks at home with her family and on the 2nd September 2012, surrounded by love and holding her Mummy & Daddy’s hands, she passed on to the angels.

Therefore, this weekend is a very poignant one for the Coull family as they prepare for Monday, which while just another day for most of us, is a very stark reminder of what they’ve lost for the Coull’s.

Sine and Fraser are remarkable people, and with their strength and the love of their family they have committed themselves to helping others in the hope they don’t have to suffer the loss they have.

They set up The Aila Coull Foundation in Aila’s memory in an attempt to help save other children with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia through research and awareness of the disease.

They know it won’t bring Aila back, but if the foundation can help save just one life, then Aila’s suffering will not have been in vain.

I read something on Sam Simpson's Facebook page that kind of summed The Kiltwalk and Oor Kiltwalkers up. She wrote:

"I keep getting emotional about the Kiltwalk, it really is a great example of people coming together to help those with sick kids in Scotland".

That’s why 800 of you are taking part tomorrow. That's why as you either walk, volunteer, or simply watch this weekend’s Kiltwalk, you’ll see those White Caps everywhere, supporting Sine and Fraser, in Aila’s memory.

I’ll have mine on, make sure you stop by and for a small fee pick up one from Sine, your kindness will help others.

Have a great day and good luck.