A North Kessock mum is fund-raising for a purpose-built care cabin in her garden so that her terminally-ill son can stay at home.
Reece Mitchell is six, and has a very rare variation of Batten disease, possibly the only case in the Highlands.
It’s a devastating neurodegenerative condition causing blindness, early dementia, loss of physical movements and speech and frequent seizures.
There is no cure and Recce’s life expectancy is up to twelve years.
Mum Donna, a former classroom assistant, realised after he had been very ill last year that the family home she’s lived in for more than 20 years was not going to be suitable for the palliative care Reece will increasingly need.
She said: “It started as a pipe dream at first about having a purpose-built pod in the garden to care for Reece, but I went on the internet and contacted lots of companies.
“The only one to come back to me was Matt Stevenson of Carbon Dynamic in Invergordon.
“He came out and drew up plans for a cabin connecting onto the house and designed to take into account all the specialist equipment we’ll need.
“As Reece’s mum my biggest fear is, I don’t want Reece to die in hospital, I want him to be at home where he should be.
“With the help of Highland Hospice and the community nurses, it means I will be able to care for Reece at home.”
The project will cost around £60,000, with crowdfunding online at
cashforkidsgive.co.uk/campaign/raise-the-roof-for-reece-/fundraisers/donna-mitchell
.
MSP Kate Forbes has been assisting the family and she urged big-hearted Highlanders to contribute.
She said: “Reece is quite possibly the bravest boy I have ever come across.
“It might sound like an unusual approach but the pod would enable the family to stay in their home area, surrounded by friends, in as comfortable an environment as possible.”
Mrs Mitchell said her vision was that the care cabin, which has a shelf life of up to 100 years, could be used by others in the future.
She said: “Through Cash for Kids we could get it moved on to another family.
“It could be a future solution for children who are very sick because it causes the least disruption, it means that families aren’t going to have to worry about moving house or travelling to hospitals which could be miles away.”
Wendy Thompson, of the Batten Disease Family Association, said: “By having a larger space within their home, the family will be able to continue to care for Reece with the care and dignity that he and his family deserve.”