Generous mum's big present for Sick Kids

However, a lifeline is being offered by a mum from Edinburgh who is auctioning a stash of the most desirable Christmas toys, with all proceeds going to help the Sick Kids Hospital.

Kathryn MacKinnon Cook, 31, won 430 worth of brand new toys in a national competition, including such prized gifts as a must-have 40 Jetpack Buzz Lightyear, a Kiddizoom Vtech Video Recorder worth 60, and the ever popular Zhu Zhu hamsters.

But as her own son Christopher is just 14 months old, she decided she could put them to better use than piling them beneath her Christmas tree.

Christopher had surgery at the Sick Kids hospital shortly after he was born, so she decided to sell the toys on auction website eBay and donate the proceeds to the Sick Kids Friends Foundation.

Christopher was treated at the hospital for a condition called patent vitello intestinal duct, in which the intestines of a newborn don't separate properly from the remains of the umbilical cord.

Mrs MacKinnon Cook, who lives in Heriot Row, said: "He had an operation when he was five days old. He was only in for five or six days, but it felt like forever. It was quite frightening for us because it was our first baby, but we got to stay there, and that was funded by stuff like this. It was amazing.

"They're amazing staff, and everything they do apart from the NHS stuff is funded by people like us, so I think you need to give something back."

Christopher has made a good recovery, and was finally given a clean bill of health just last week, when Mrs MacKinnon Cook and husband Steve Cook were told they could stop taking him for check-ups at the hospital.

Mrs MacKinnon Cook won the toys as part of the Woolworths Pass the Parcel event, in which the online retailer broke the world record for the biggest game of pass-the-parcel ever, handing out gifts in ten different cities around the UK.

She said she was delighted to be able to help the charity and hoped the sale might also help out with someone's Christmas shopping.

"It's on as a job lot. There are 11 toys and I think most of them were predicted to sell out.

"There's no point in sending things through the post any more, so the idea is that they can go to someone in Edinburgh.

"The main interest I've had so far has been from businesses that like the Sick Kids so they want to help, and would probably just give them away, but I thought maybe people who want to band together could buy them as presents."

Chief executive of the Sick Kids Friends Foundation, Maureen Harrison, said: "We are extremely grateful to Kathryn and her family, who are auctioning off all of their wonderful gifts to raise funds for the Sick Kids Friends Foundation.

"The MacKinnon Cook family's donation will help to make time spent in hospital much better for sick kids and their families this Christmas."

To find the sale, visit www.ebay.co.uk and search for Sick Kids Toys.

WHAT'S IN THE TREASURE CHEST?

Scalextric Micro Maximum Mayhem

Kiddizoom Vtech Video Recorder (pink)

Lego City Fire Station

Fur Real Lulu Cuddlin Kitty

Jetpack Buzz Lightyear Deluxe Figure

Fisher Price Stroll and Play Walker with Doll

Ben 10 Kevin's DX Action Cruiser

Sylvanian Families Motorcycle and Sidecar

Paperjamz Instant Rockstar Series 1 Guitar

Bubble Buster

Zhu Zhu Pets Hamster (brown)