A “brave, caring and witty” eight-year-old boy from Nairn has died following his second cancer battle.
Hamish Hey was just three when he was first diagnosed with a rare soft tissue cancer.
After months of chemotherapy and radiotherapy he underwent pioneering surgery which resulted in him getting a prosthetic leg.
But, after years of follow-up checks and medication, Hamish was diagnosed with an incurable, aggressive brain stem tumour in March last year.
In the past year the youngster has received 30 sessions of radiotherapy to give him more time to spend with his family.
Parents Sam and Susan Hey said they had planned a trip to London last Thursday for Hamish and his 10-year-old sister Lily, which included experiencing the London Eye, watching the Lion King musical and visiting a Star Wars exhibition.
But his illness rapidly deteriorated just two days before, meaning he was unable to go.
Little Hamish died peacefully on Monday at the family home at Carron Villa, Viewfield Street, Nairn.
Despite the years of hardship, Hamish’s parents said their son “never complained and remained smiling almost to the end.”
Mrs Hey, an art teacher, said: “He was the bravest little boy. It’s been awful but Hamish just didn’t complain.”
Mr Hey, an architect, said: “He was so caring about other people and was so positive about everything. It’s been hard but he has maintained this amazing spirit throughout.
“He had the most wonderful wit and came out with lots of one liners. He was a character right up until the end.”
His parents, both 38, also stressed that the care their son received from staff at both the Glasgow Children’s Hospital and Raigmore Hospital, Inverness, was “exemplary.”
Hamish was diagnosed in June 2011 with rhabdomyosarcoma, a cancer of the muscle cells.
After intensive radiotherapy and chemotherapy, specialists decided he needed rotationplasty surgery which meant removing the middle section of his leg, including his knee. His foot was then rotated to face the opposite way and reattached to his upper leg.
When that healed, Hamish’s ankle joint began to act as his knee joint, making it more comfortable for him to use a prosthesis.
The terminal nature of his second diagnosis led to the start of a fundraising page to allow Hamish, his 10-year-old sister Lilly and their parents to share more loving memories before he died.
As Hamish was unable to go to London, the community has encouraged Mr and Mrs Hey to spend the £4,260 raised on Lily, which may involve taking her on a deserved holiday.
Mr Hey said: “Lily has been incredible throughout the whole thing. She has gone through more in 10 years than what most adults would go through in their life.
“We are both genuinely overwhelmed and humbled by what the community and everyone who has donated have done.”
Hamish’s funeral will take place at Nairn Old Parish Church on Saturday at 10.30am.
Mrs Hey has asked any friends and family attending the funeral to “dress how they wish” and said that it “does not need to be black tie.”