Ayr’s spirited community have rallied round a brave girl living with a terrifying brain aneurysm due to a one of a kind illness.
Healthcare and emergency heroes, teachers and fitness fanatics all dug deep for seven-year-old Jessica Entwistle.
The courageous primary school pupil is gearing up for a visit to a specialist unit at London’s Great Ormond Street Hospital where top medics will try and work out how to treat her.
The youngster has been diagnosed with the ‘only known case’ of a disease caused by a genetic mutation, MAP2K1.
Jessica suffers debilitating symptoms which stop her from completing a full day at school.
Ahead of her trip to London – a host of kind-hearted individuals, organisations and businesses have mucked in to show their support.
In one weekend more than £1,500 was raised thanks to a host of events across the town – with donations still pouring in.
Jesscia’s family mum, Cheryl Entwistle, dad, Thomas and big brother Aaron were shown community support over a fantastic fundraising weekend on Friday, August 26 and Saturday, August 27.
Firefighters downed hoses and picked up sponges as they polished motors to coin it in for Jessica’s cause at Ayr fire station.
Young Jessica joined the crew at the station as locals dropped in for the emergency service’s car wash.
Kerry McCrone, watch commander of blue watch at Ayr fire station told Ayrshire Live: “My daughter Eve is best friends with Jess – they go to school together.
“I’ve seen what Cheryl and Thomas, and the whole family are going through.
“We wanted to do something for the whole family, to try and make it into a fun couple of days for them, to try and shelter Jessica from it all.
“We had our car wash coming up to raise money for the Firefighter Charity, I asked the team if they wanted to split the funds to give something to Jessica.”
“Jessica is so strong, she’s an inspiration, I’m amazed by her."
On the same day, all-female gym Bodyfix Boutique scaled the peaks of Mount Everest as they took on a virtual step challenge on the gym’s stair master.
Members were pushed to their limits as they climbed 44,250 steps for Jessica.
It’s a feat they hope to conquer again by reaching the ‘summit’ of the world’s tallest mountain a bonkers 10 times.
Gym boss Stuart McGuire said: “We really just wanted to raise some funds and awareness of Jessica’s condition.
“There’s been lots of fundraisers for her, like people climbing Munros, so it was really just a case of thinking what we could do to tie into that.
“I feel like if we’re in a position to do something then really we should.”
On the Friday a Drag Queen brought plenty of laughs as they stole the show at a fundraiser night in the town’s Pro-Soccer.
The bash was arranged by nurses Kim Stevens and Yvonne McCrellis and teacher Nikki Hamilton.
And the trio have managed to raise £800 for Jessica with £800 also raised for Whiteleys Retreat.
Yvonne said: “Jessica is a local girl and we wanted to help in any way we could.
“It was a great family friendly night. We sold 1,000 raffle strips, we had local hairdressers and beauticians donating prizes – Ayr United donated a signed top.
“We want to thank everyone for turning up for a fantastic cause.”
Jessica’s mum Cheryl Entwistle says her family are “overwhelmed by the support shown to them.”
She told Ayrshire Live: “Everyone has been so kind. I’ve said before we need to keep raising for Jessica to have the local community show their support is just amazing.”
You can donate to Jessica's journey here.
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