The parents of a baby boy born 13 weeks prematurely are hoping to light up the lives of families whose own newborn tots will be spending this Christmas in hospital.
Aston Smith from Alva is now nine months old but made a dramatic entrance into the world on March 3 at just 27 weeks.
Mum Rachel Brown and dad William Smith didn’t expect him to survive.
But they are so grateful that he did that they want to give some comfort to parents with their own youngsters in Neonatal Intensive Care over the festive season.
Rachel said: “Aston was nearly born on the motorway and born within four hours of reaching FVRH, weighing just 2lb 2oz.
“He was doing great until day 15 when he was diagnosed with NEC - a perforating disease of the bowel - and was rushed to Glasgow Queen Elizabeth.
“It was touch and go and he only had a slim chance of survival but Aston’s life was saved for the second time and he became a stoma bag baby.
“He may have been born tiny but mighty Aston graduated the NICU after 78 days in May and we finally got him home.
“Aston is a very special miracle, being born at 27 weeks, and does hold a very special place in many people’s hearts.
“This a very, very special Christmas for us thanks to FVRH and the Queen Elizabeth as we didn’t expect him to survive at birth.”
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Rachel has been raising funds so the family can gift a candle, with a poem attached, to each parent on Christmas Eve at FVRH.
“It will be very hard for NICU parents to leave their babies on Christmas Eve - but a candle to burn will hopefully bring some peace and comfort.”
The family, which includes Aston’s seven-year-old brother Rohan, have designed goody bags for each parent for the NICU at Larbert.
Rachel added: “As well as the poem candle, to bring comfort and help them feel their tiny baby is with them in spirit, each parent’s bag will have a Christmas ribbon so they can measure the length of their baby at Christmas and tie it to their tree to remember their baby’s size in years to come.
“There will also be a Santa’s Christmas Eve letter to the babies and parents - and some chocolate, of course.”
Donations can be made here.
