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Fergus becomes judo champ despite battle with ill health

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Growing up, Fergus Macfarlane loved doing all the things that little boys enjoy, and always threw himself into sports.

But unlike others his age, he had a battle on his hands from the moment he was born, after doctors discovered he had a rare debilitating disease.

During his short life, Fergus, from Pitcaple, has gone through more than 20 painful operations to treat a rare condition called Hirschsprung’s disease.

It means food does not pass normally through his intestines due to missing nerve cells, which can cause obstructions in his bowel and life-threatening infections.

At one point doctors at the Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital (RACH) even feared he might never be able to practise his favourite martial art – judo – again as his condition was so difficult to treat.

But now at the age of 16, Fergus has proved that anything is possible by becoming one of the sport’s rising UK stars.

In the last year, he has won a bronze medal in the British Judo Championships, as well as a silver medal in the Scottish competition.

Last night, his coach said it was Fergus’s determination that had got him to where he is today.

His family said that if it was not for the care of the medics who treated him and the support of the Archie Foundation – the official charity of RACH – Fergus’s future might have been very different.

Mother, Helen, said: “A lot of children born with Hirschpring’s disease can eventually respond to treatment and go on to live relatively normal lives.

“But there are complications for every one in 10 children born with the disease, and Fergus unfortunately is one of them.

“All through Fergus’ 16 years he’s been in and out of the children’s hospital, and the support that Archie has provided for me and my husband has been invaluable.

“They provided free accommodation for us at the hospital as long as we needed, which was a complete godsend.

“Fergus is an example for any young children with a condition like this that early difficulties can be overcome.”

Fergus’ judo coach coach Stuart McWatt, who founded the Garioch Judo Club, said he was incredibly proud of what Fergus had achieved.

He said: “I’ve been his coach for about eight years, and not once has he let his disease stop him.

“At one point his mother told me it was touch and go if he would ever be able to do sport – never mind judo – ever again.

“But even surgery doesn’t stop him. As soon as he recovered he was back on the mat and throwing people around.

“He’s one of these boys that trains very, very hard, listens well, and most importantly keeps getting back up whenever he gets knocked down and just gets on with it.”