The family of a toddler diagnosed with a terminal illness are raffling a strip signed by Celtic legend Henrik Larsson to raise money for their son's treatment. Jamie Tierney, three, was diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a muscle-wasting disease which also affects the lungs, heart and brain and is mainly found in boys.
The disease affects 1 in 5,000 males, and will see Jamie being wheelchair bound, likely from the age of around eight, and having a life expectancy of around 20 or 30 years. But his parents, Jamie and Bobbie, learned he can receive specialist treatment in South America which will help slow the disease down.
The couple, of Dunfermline, launched a Go Fund Me page to help them raise the £60,000 yearly cost of the treatment, which Jamie junior will receive every four months. And as part of their fundraising they are raffling off a framed strip signed by Celtic legend Larsson, 50.
The striker is regarded by many fans as the Hoops' greatest ever striker, and the top in question is the same as the one worn in Seville in 2003. It has 'Larsson 7' on the back, in the same printing that was worn in the UEFA Cup Final, when the Swede scored twice as Martin O'Neill's men fell to Jose Mourinho's Porto in extra time.
There are 300 numbers available, costing £20 each or two for £30, and they can be purchased via Jamie snr's Twitter account. And as well as the Go Fund Me and raffle, which have raised over £22,000 so far, Jamie snr and pals Liam Devaney, Stewart Mitchell and Christos Indopoulos scaled the highest peaks in Scotland, England and Wales in just two days to raise cash.
The lads took on Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon at the weekend, taking them a total of 31 hours. Jamie snr told the Record: "We have been doing loads of stuff to try and reach the fundraising target. The Henrik Larrson top was donated to me by a friend and comes with all the official paperwork.
"We'll be raffling 300 numbers and it is £20 per number of two numbers for £30 and it will hopefully bring us nearer to the £60,000 target."
He added: "The heartache is something we can't even explain but we are staying positive we can beat this. The treatment gives us a chance to keep wee Jamie strong enough until there's a cure but we need £60,000 per year which is a huge task, and any help at all is appreciated. A big thanks to the boys coming along with me to show support for my wee boy."
When setting up the Go Fund Me, Bobbie said: "On March 30, our world fell apart when we were told our son Jamie has been diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.
"This was instant heartbreak for us after our research on the disease. Duchenne, knowing as DMD is a terminal illness which is found mainly in boys, it affects approximately 1 in 5000 live male births. The information that we received is our boy will face a life of struggle, will be wheel chair bound between 8-10 years old and would deteriorate in front of our eyes, with the average life expectancy of mid 20s.
"There is currently no cure for this disease, however we will never give up or stop fighting to save our son's life. We are so grateful to announce that we have recently received confirmation that Jamie can get a specialised treatment in South America every 4 months.
"This treatment will cost us around £60,000 annually but will help us slow this disease down hopefully giving Jamie a better chance and quality of life, with us constantly fighting and praying a cure comes. The funds will go towards Wee Jamie’s Journey and helping save our boys life and we will continue to help support all other boys fighting DMD."
And the family say that, should a cure emerge, they will pass any donations they have left onto other families and children in need of financial support.
Bobbie explained: "With all this in mind Jamie is still our little best friend he never fails to make us laugh and smile, he's just your typical boy, loves pretending he's a monster or a dinosaur chasing us around or just cuddling in on the couch watching movies. He loves being outdoors playing in puddles or sandpits, he truly is the love of our life and we will do whatever it takes to save him. We are truly grateful for any donations we may receive no matter how little or large.
"If in the future we are lucky enough to secure a cure for Jamie all funds raised that is remaining will be donated to help other boys in our son's position to hopefully help change the lives of everyone diagnosed with this devastating disease."
You can donate to the Go Fund Me page here.
Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - Sign up to our daily newsletter here.
