Calendar An icon of a desk calendar. Cancel An icon of a circle with a diagonal line across. Caret An icon of a block arrow pointing to the right. Email An icon of a paper envelope. Facebook An icon of the Facebook "f" mark. Google An icon of the Google "G" mark. Linked In An icon of the Linked In "in" mark. Logout An icon representing logout. Profile An icon that resembles human head and shoulders. Telephone An icon of a traditional telephone receiver. Tick An icon of a tick mark. Is Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes. Is Not Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes with a diagonal line through it. Pause Icon A two-lined pause icon for stopping interactions. Quote Mark A opening quote mark. Quote Mark A closing quote mark. Arrow An icon of an arrow. Folder An icon of a paper folder. Breaking An icon of an exclamation mark on a circular background. Camera An icon of a digital camera. Caret An icon of a caret arrow. Clock An icon of a clock face. Close An icon of the an X shape. Close Icon An icon used to represent where to interact to collapse or dismiss a component Comment An icon of a speech bubble. Comments An icon of a speech bubble, denoting user comments. Comments An icon of a speech bubble, denoting user comments. Ellipsis An icon of 3 horizontal dots. Envelope An icon of a paper envelope. Facebook An icon of a facebook f logo. Camera An icon of a digital camera. Home An icon of a house. Instagram An icon of the Instagram logo. LinkedIn An icon of the LinkedIn logo. Magnifying Glass An icon of a magnifying glass. Search Icon A magnifying glass icon that is used to represent the function of searching. Menu An icon of 3 horizontal lines. Hamburger Menu Icon An icon used to represent a collapsed menu. Next An icon of an arrow pointing to the right. Notice An explanation mark centred inside a circle. Previous An icon of an arrow pointing to the left. Rating An icon of a star. Tag An icon of a tag. Twitter An icon of the Twitter logo. Video Camera An icon of a video camera shape. Speech Bubble Icon A icon displaying a speech bubble WhatsApp An icon of the WhatsApp logo. Information An icon of an information logo. Plus A mathematical 'plus' symbol. Duration An icon indicating Time. Success Tick An icon of a green tick. Success Tick Timeout An icon of a greyed out success tick. Loading Spinner An icon of a loading spinner. Facebook Messenger An icon of the facebook messenger app logo. Facebook An icon of a facebook f logo. Facebook Messenger An icon of the Twitter app logo. LinkedIn An icon of the LinkedIn logo. WhatsApp Messenger An icon of the Whatsapp messenger app logo. Email An icon of an mail envelope. Copy link A decentered black square over a white square.

Aberdeenshire boy with rare condition defies doctors’ expectations to mark 18th birthday

Nicki and Eddie Fittall with their son Cooper who was diagnosed with a rare condition.
Nicki and Eddie Fittall with their son Cooper who was diagnosed with a rare condition.

When Cooper Fittall was born seriously ill, doctors told his parents to prepare for the worst.

Little Cooper weighed just 2lb 6oz when he was born with only one kidney and a damaged liver.

He was delivered by an emergency caesarean section at Aberdeen Maternity Hospital seven weeks early and was too sick to go home.

His heartbroken mum and dad said the saddest of goodbyes.

But that was 18 years ago – on December 23 2004.

And after marking his birthday yesterday, their “cheeky chappy” son will be a big part of the family Christmas celebrations tomorrow.

“He was in hospital for the first five months,” dad Eddie, who lives near Boyndie, in Aberdeenshire, explains.

“It was awful, but after two or three months in the hospital you just got used to it.

“Machines started beeping and you just went and reset it because he had just moved.”

‘We had to say goodbye to him’

Doctors discovered Cooper was battling several serious medical issues but at the time couldn’t figure out the cause.

“We had to say goodbye to him about four times because they thought he wasn’t going to make it,” Eddie says.

“He was only meant to live for a few days initially, then weeks, then months.”

The Press and Journal article on Cooper’s birth in 2004.

Parents Nicki and Eddie were told before Cooper was born that he was going to be a small baby with short arms and legs.

But within weeks of his birth he was diagnosed with a Cleft palate, scoliosis, bone marrow problems and narrowed arteries of the heart and lungs.

“Everything was done for him, he couldn’t do anything,” Nikki, 50, explains.

“He was five before he started to walk. He’s never eaten; he’s always been fed through a tube.

“He’s totally deaf and nonverbal.”

‘We treat each day as his last – tomorrow could be his last day’

Various medical tests were carried out over the years in the hope that doctors could determine the cause of his condition.

Then, when he was around 12-years-old, the genetics department at the hospital discovered that he had a faulty LMBRD1 gene.

It’s a rare condition and he is one of only 10 people around the world who suffers from all the symptoms.

Cooper Fittall.
Cooper is a happy boy and loves the Happy Feet film. Supplied: Eddie Fittall

The diagnosis meant that Cooper could start receiving intramuscular injections as part of his treatment.

But there’s still so much unknown about their boy’s rare condition, and life is filled with uncertainty for mum-of-four Nicki and her ex-husband.

“I still treat each day as the last,” Nicki, who lives in Whitehills in Aberdeenshire, said.

“You give him a big hug and a big kiss when he goes to bed because you don’t know if he’s going to wake up.

“Tomorrow could be his last day. We don’t know and the health professionals don’t know either.”

Cooper Fittall.
Cooper defied doctor’s expectations and is now 18. Image: Eddie Fittall

Boy with rare condition: ‘At the moment his health is good’

Cooper is only 1m 34cms tall (4’4”) and is not expected to grow any taller due to having a low growth hormone.

His mum says he’s the size of a 10-year-old.

Nicki and Eddie are amazed that their little boy has turned 18.

He’s come through a lot over the years and still receives treatment.

Five years ago Cooper had a spinal fusion operation which involved two titanium rods being inserted into his body to straighten up his back.

He also attends appointments with specialists from different departments at the Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital who keep regular checks on his condition.

Cooper had surgery on his back to straighten his spine.
Cooper had surgery on his back to straighten his spine. Image: Eddie Fittall

His parents say NHS staff have been “fantastic” over the years and appreciate all the help they have given him.

“At the moment his health is good,” Eddie, a self-employed gardener, explains.

“He’s been okay. But we just don’t know if anything’s going to flare up anytime or something new is going to happen.”

Turning 18 is a big step up in the world for Cooper, who will finish his classes at Banff Academy at Easter.

He loves swimming and also enjoys spending time with his family, learning a bit of the Makaton signing language over the years to communicate.

Cooper with his youngest niece Imogen.
Cooper with his youngest niece Imogen. Image: Eddie Fittall

“His nieces and nephews all know that he can’t hear or speak so they just tap him to get his attention and they all wave at him,” Nicki says.

“He’s mad about penguins and Happy Feet.

“If his penguin is on the floor they’ll give it to him and they will sign thank you.”

Nicki says it’s clear to anyone who meets him just how content he is with his life and he also cheers people up when they see him.

“He’s a very happy little boy,” Nicki says. “That’s what everyone says when they meet him.”

Cooper with his nieces and nephews Aurora, Caeleb, Abigail, Declan and Isla.

Bringing up a boy with a rare condition has often been challenging for his parents but they say it’s given them more empathy towards other people.

When they see another child screaming in a supermarket it’s just a reminder that they could also be suffering with their health.

‘You just take each day as it comes’

The family planned a party for Cooper’s 18th birthday party at The Seafield Arms in Whitehills.

It was a special day that his parents did not think would ever happen.

“It’s scary for the future when we’re not about, what will happen to him,” Eddie, 53, says.

Eddie and Nicki Fittall with their son Cooper at his 18th birthday party. Image: Eddie Fittall
Eddie and Nicki Fittall with their son Cooper at his 18th birthday party. Image: Eddie Fittall

“But his sisters said that they will have him, they will look after him.”

Nicki adds: “For us, Cooper is just Cooper. You just take each day as it comes.

“Cooper’s just our little boy and we just get on with it.

“He still has numerous medical problems and is very little for his age.

“But he is so happy and very loved.”

Conversation