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Daily Record
3 days ago
- Health
- Daily Record
Scots dad takes on fundraising skydive after teen son diagnosed with brain cancer
Mitchell Beggs, 14, was diagnosed in May and began chemotherapy in June in a bit to shrink two tumours. A dad whose teenage son was diagnosed with brain cancer is taking on a skydive to raise funds for sick children. Mitchell Beggs, 14, was diagnosed in May and began chemotherapy in June in a bit to shrink two tumours. However last week, Mitchell's family were told it has spread and he will now travel to Manchester to undergo Proton beam therapy, a type of radiotherapy treatment. Dad Alan, 46, will be heading to Strathallan, in Perthshire on August 16, to take on a skydive to raise funds for Teenage Cancer Trust, a charity that has helped support their family and provides vital services for teenagers facing cancer. Mum Lorraine, from Bothwell, Lanarkshire, said: 'As a family, we could not have navigated this challenging path without the unwavering support of the Royal Hospital for Children, Glasgow and the Teenage Cancer Trust. 'The dedication and compassion shown by everyone involved in his treatment have been nothing short of amazing. 'The family are hoping to raise funds to support the Teenage Cancer Trust with every penny raised going towards this incredible charity. 'On August 16th Alan will be doing a skydive to raise funds for this incredible organisation. 'We just want to try and support this amazing charity to give back to the support they have shown us. 'Without their unit at the hospital that helps give teenagers some time to relax in a non-hospital environment, it would make this journey much harder for those like Mitchell. 'The journey is not over yet; we will continue to rely on the help and support of these vital services in the years to come.' During his treatment, Mitchell received a visit from the Scotland rugby team 's Gregor Brown and Ollie Smith, organised by his school The Glasgow Academy. Lorraine, who is also mum to daughter Rachael, 16, added: 'I would like to also thank the staff at his school as they have been an amazing support not just to Mitchell, but to our daughter Rachael who was undertaking her highers at the time. 'They also arranged for some of the Glasgow Warriors and Scotland rugby team to visit Mitchell at the hospital and send personal get well messages to him, which gave him such a boost at a very low point during one of his five day chemo sessions.'
Daily Record
04-07-2025
- Daily Record
Scots schoolboy hit by bus makes miracle recovery after suffering serious head injury
George Hill was out with friends in Motherwell when he was hit by a single-decker after stepping out onto the road while running to catch a bus. The mum of a 13-year-old Scots schoolboy, who was hit by a bus, has made a remarkable recovery after she was told her son could be left "significantly disabled". On Wednesday April 2, George Hill was struck by a silver Volvo single deck bus on Hamilton Road, at the junction with Nigel Street, while out with friends in Motherwell. The teen had only just stepped onto the road after the group of pals began running for a bus, fearing they may miss it, reports Glasgow Live. Emergency crews raced to the scene and discovered George had suffered serious injuries, including major head trauma. He was blue-lighted to the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow. Mum-of-five Natalya Lee, of Lanark, didn't realise the true extent of what had happened until she got to the hospital. Doctors warned the 35-year-old mum that her eldest child could be left with serious lifelong disabilities following the crash. She said: "I was told he had been hit by a bus but didn't expect him to have the significant injuries he did. Once I found out, I felt sick and couldn't process it. "We were told he would be left significantly disabled and won't be able to do anything." George underwent two brain surgeries, lasting around 10-hours in total, and spent 11-weeks in hospital before being discharged in time for the summer holidays. Despite what medics said, the teen has made an astonishing recovery after a successful surgery and lots of rest, though he does now struggle with his speech and some fine motor skills. Natalya continued: " George is a typical boy, who loves gaming, football and being out and about. He has three younger sisters and one younger brother. He is very protective of them all. "He was out with some of his friends, and they were running for the bus. In their panic about missing the bus, they stepped onto the road and the bus ended up hitting him. "There were two men in a car behind the bus, and one was ex-military with medical training. He knew what to do until the ambulance arrived, and could have saved George's life - I am so thankful he was there. "I was then told that he'd suffered a head injury and was going to be taken for a CT scan. An hour later, I was told he needed brain surgery. It wasn't registering that it was happening to my son and was a bit of a blur. 'The surgery was successful, but there was a rocky road to come. He needed physio, occupational therapy, and speech and language therapy, and he absolutely smashed it at all of these. From all of the teams involved, his care was amazing. I also had Lynsay, from the Major Trauma Team, who was there if George's Dad or I needed anything. "George was discharged from ward 3A exactly 11 weeks after the accident. We couldn't quite believe it when we were discharged. He has some things to still work through but is near enough the same child as before, and we are so happy." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community!
Scottish Sun
12-06-2025
- Scottish Sun
Schoolboy, 13, rushed to hospital after being found seriously injured on Scots street
It comes hours before the First Minister is set to host a summit on youth violence following a spate of knife incidents STREET DRAMA Schoolboy, 13, rushed to hospital after being found seriously injured on Scots street Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A SCHOOLBOY has been rushed to hopsital after being found seriously injured near a Scottish primary school. Police have launched a probe after a 13-year-old lad was discovered hurt on Muir Road in Dumbarton yesterday afternoon. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 The 13-year-old boy was found injured on Muir Road Credit: GOOGLE MAPS Cops raced to the street in the town at around 3.30pm after the alarm was raised. Officers said that emergency crews headed to the scene after they received reports of a young boy being found injured. The young teen was rushed to the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow in an ambulance, where he is currently being treated. Medics have described his injuries as serious but added that his condition is stable. Officers have launched an investigation into the incident and said enquiries are ongoing. The force said they are working to establish the full circumstances of the incident. Muir Road is a residential street located in the north of Dumbarton, near Glasgow, close to Aitkenbar and St Peter's Primary School. A Police Scotland spokesperson said: 'Around 3.30pm on Wednesday, 11 June, we received a report of a person found injured in the Muir Road area of Dumbarton. 'Emergency services attended, and a 13-year-old boy was taken to the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow. "Hospital staff describe his injuries as serious but stable. Police probing death of 'stabbed' teen Kayden Moy swoop on Scots park 'Enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances.' News of the incident comes hours before the First Minister is set to host a summit on youth violence following a spate of knife incidents. Thursday's summit will hear from the justice and education secretaries, ministers for children and for victims, along with cross-party MSPs, youth workers and those delivering violence reduction in Scotland. John Swinney is set to lead discussions to hear young people's and families' experiences and ideas on possible solutions. And it will focus on education and community engagement with young people and possible strategies for preventing them from turning to anti-social behaviour or carrying a weapon. It also comes as teachers report rising levels of classroom violence and misogynistic behaviour among pupils. Angela Constance, the Justice Secretary, has admitted that "more needs to be done" to clamp down on violence. KNIFE CRIME CRACKDOWN Earlier this month, the Scottish Government pledged that funding for the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit will rise by 7 per cent to £1.217 million, which reversed earlier plans to cut its budget. Despite several high-profile recent murders among teenagers, Police Scotland said that serious assaults by those aged 11 to 18 fell by 27 per cent between 2019/20 and 2024/25, from 428 to 313. Ahead of today's meeting, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton called for greater investment in youth work. Mr Cole-Hamilton, who was a youth worker before becoming an MSP, accused the SNP of presiding over the "quiet death" of youth work. He said: "For the best part of 20 years, I was a youth worker, helping some of the most disengaged young people get their lives back on track. "That experience taught me that no child is inherently bad. Most of the time, they are just in need of some direction, a need that has only been fuelled by the isolating impact of lockdown. "That's where youth work comes in: it provides young people with the direction they need and gives them a positive adult role model who is neither a teacher nor a parent. "It teaches teenagers to come out of their comfort zone, helps them rebuild their sense of self-worth and fosters a whole host of key life skills. "Since the pandemic, however, the SNP have presided over the quiet death of youth work. Budgets have been squeezed, services have struggled to survive, just when we need them the most. "While acts of violence require a strong response, punishing predominantly law-abiding young people cannot be our broader solution. "We need youth work to pre-empt and prevent those acts of violence, to properly engage young people in society and lay the foundations for them to succeed in life." The Scottish Government has been approached for comment. Mr Swinney was last month warned that 'weak and reckless' justice system is costing lives amid alarm at a deadly knife crime wave. Scottish Tories leader Russell Findlay accused the First Minister of 'fuelling youth violence' amid a 'sickening' 600 per cent rise in serious assaults committed by teens in five years. The Holyrood showdown came after day tripper Kayden Moy, 16, was allegedly stabbed to death at Irvine beach in Ayrshire on May 17. In a separate reported incident, another teen was allegedly stabbed at Portobello Beach in Edinburgh the day before. Meanwhile, Scotland's top cop called for a crackdown on violence in schools after we revealed a boy of seven allegedly took a blade into Heathfield Primary in Ayr to attack another pupil. We also told how a 10-year-old lad was threatened with a blade by a tearaway classmate in Kilmarnock. A boy of the same age was reported to authorities over the incident. Last month, a 14-year-old thug was locked up for five years for killing Kory McCrimmon, 16, in Glasgow in a fight over £50. And a group of teenagers are currently facing charges in connection with the death of 15-year-old Glasgow teen Amen Teklay.
Daily Mirror
09-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Girl, 12, dies after doctors mistook fatal tumour for 'tummy bug'
Jackie Dunlop has urged parents to "trust their gut" after losing her daughter Ava Nelson from a condition which GPs initially dismissed as something minor A mum is urging parents to trust their instincts after her daughter's tummy bug turned out to be an inoperable brain tumour. Jackie Dunlop from North Ayrshire became concerned when her daughter Ava Nelson, then aged 10, suffered with severe headaches and sickness for three weeks. Following visits to the GP and her local hospital, the young girl was a viral infection or a gastric bug. However, after the fourth week of Ava feeling unwell, Jackie pushed for more testing and what followed shocked the 38-year-old to the core. An MRI revealed a pressure of Ava's brain, caused by a large mass, and she was rushed up to the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow. She had to have an emergency operation to relieve the pressure and a biopsy a week later revealed Ava had a high-grade glioblastoma. The family were told she had just six to 12 months to live, but Ava outlived that prediction and passed away nearly two years later in April 2024, aged 12. Now Jackie, from Kilwinning, who previously worked as a carer, is telling parents not to ignore their own suspicions regarding their child's health. She said: "We thought it was a sickness bug. But going into week three I started to worry. Everyone put it down to a viral sickness bug. Four weeks I had been fighting with doctors. The surgeon told us if we didn't fight she'd have been dead within a week because the pressure was that bad." She continued: "I always say to any mother go with your gut instinct if you feel that something is wrong with your child. If you feel something is wrong then go get them checked. If you aren't getting anywhere stand your ground and make sure you get the help and support you need until you have the right answers. Mothers know their child best." Ava began experiencing headaches, dizziness, and balance issues in May 2022. Despite numerous GP appointments and hospital visits, her symptoms were dismissed as just a viral illness, reports Glasgow Live. Growing concerned about her daughter's health, Jackie refused to accept this and persevered for further medical attention at Crosshouse Hospital's children's ward. Jackie recounted: "To look at her you wouldn't know anything was wrong. They agreed to do blood tests – Ava then started vomiting. She started declining but the blood tests came back fine. I pushed for a scan." The persistence paid off when an MRI scan showed a brain tumour. Ava was rushed to the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow on May 31, 2022. Jackie said: "They told us Ava has severe pressure on her brain. They found a tumour. The pressure was caused by the tumour." Ava underwent emergency surgery the following day; however, doctors couldn't fully remove the tumour due to its location. The biopsy results returned on June 8, 2022, confirming Ava's diagnosis with cancer. Jackie revealed: "The hardest part for me was that wasn't going to survive. They gave us six to 12 months." Ava bravely endured 12 weeks of simultaneous radiotherapy and chemotherapy, which resulted in her needing a feeding tube after the treatment caused a rupture in her stomach. Her parents, Jackie and Roland, made the heart-wrenching decision not to disclose Ava's terminal prognosis, choosing instead to create cherished memories. Jackie shared: "We were trying to normalise life." The family dedicated themselves to ensuring their beloved "wee warrior" had as many joyous moments as possible, despite their own sorrow. Jackie said: "As a family we did everything in our willpower to make sure that the time we had left with our wee warrior was full of fun filled memories as much as it was killing us inside." In spring 2023, Ava was admitted to Robin House Children's Hospice, where she fought for another year before passing away on April 16, 2024, with her loving parents and sisters, aged nine and 17, by her side. Jackie recalled: "They moved her into the rainbow room. It was the most peaceful room." Jackie now aims to inspire other parents to trust their instincts about their children's health. She added: "Ava was quiet as a mouse. She was quite shy and timid. But she was sweet and loving. She was the best."
Daily Record
25-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Record
Inside Scots 'teddy hospital' putting sick kids at ease before treatment
The hospital ensures children have a gentle start to their medical journey. A Scots 'teddy hospital ' is aiming to transform the experience for young people and their families. Glasgow's Royal Hospital for Children (RHC) is ensuring children have a gentle start to their medical journey. In doing so, it is making sure one of the first places families visit is the beloved teddy hospital. This unique space helps patients prepare for medical procedures through play. Here, they can explore medical equipment, hear the sounds of an MRI machine, and learn what it means to be 'put to sleep' for surgery, all in a calm, friendly environment. This approach is especially helpful for children with autism or other neurodiverse conditions, making the hospital feel less intimidating. The teddy hospital is a cornerstone of the RHC experience and is gaining national attention for its innovative approach. Elsewhere, in the theatres department, each anaesthetic room is themed with different animals, and colourful artwork, based on real stories from patients and families, guides children through their journey. The team is also exploring new ways to use lighting and sound to help children feel even more at ease, particularly those with sensory sensitivities. The outpatient department is another area where creativity and care come together with plans currently underway to introduce new sensory and immersive technologies to better support neurodiverse patients, ensuring that every child receives care tailored to their needs. The final stop on Professor Gardner's visit was the hospital's very own Medicinema —a fully equipped cinema where children can watch the latest films in a fun, inclusive setting. Whether attending as an outpatient or staying in the hospital, children can enjoy movie screenings with their families, sometimes even celebrating birthdays or meeting their favourite football players. This special space, created in partnership with the Medicinema charity, brings joy and a sense of normalcy to children facing serious health challenges. The hospital wants families to know that they're stepping into a place where your child's emotional wellbeing is just as important as their physical health.
