Former sick kid Aimi aims to help buy New Pyjamas

Published on Monday 13 April 2009 09:58

AIMI BURROWS' memories of special occasions throughout her childhood are not typical of those shared by her friends.

While most recall spending birthdays and Christmas in their family home, the Broxburn teenager spent many of them in hospital.

A kidney problem meant the 19-year-old commercial officer regarded the Sick Kids hospital as "a home from home" up until the age of ten.

Now she's embarking on a fundraising campaign for the new Sick Kids facility at Little France, due to open in 2012, and the organisers of the 15 million campaign to secure state-of-the-art equipment for it hope others who share a connection to the hospital will also help generate cash.

The New Pyjamas campaign said there were thousands of people with experience of the hospital across Scotland who could follow suit, providing the initiative with a massive financial boost. Aimi, who plans a walk across the Forth Road Bridge and a high-profile gangster fancy dress night, suffered a kidney reflux as a baby. This was eventually fixed by an artificial valve at the age of 10, signalling an end to her ongoing care at the Sciennes hospital.

"It was a home from home for me," she said. "I had the Christmas period, New Year, birthdays and Easters in there. But I've got such fond memories of the place and I'll always hold a place for it in my heart."

A previous fundraising walk saw her raise 2000 for the Sick Kids Friends Foundation, and Aimi hopes to beat that this time round.

"I always set my sights quite low and then when more comes in it's a boost," she added. "I wouldn't say the new hospital would necessarily have given me a better experience than the current one did, but certainly a more modern experience."

Aimi has more or less fully recovered from the reflux – which involves kidney valves misdirecting the flow of liquid, which can lead to infection – although she may have to get a new valve fitted after the original was given a lifespan of ten years.

Patricia Hess, head of PR for the New Pyjamas campaign, said: "One of the crucial elements of fundraising is the energy, enthusiasm and commitment of former patients and families who want to see a world-class hospital like the new Sick Kids.

"We are very grateful to them and hope that they will inspire others to raise funds for the New Pyjamas campaign."

Other high-profile events coming include the "Feastival", which will see people across the Lothians urged to stage banquets at their home on June 19 to raise both cash and awareness, and is based on the worldwide Macmillan coffee morning event. Aimi's Gangster Night is on June 12 at Broxburn Bowling Club.

More information on all upcoming events is available on the website www.newpyjamas.org