The family of a tragic Perth toddler whose life was claimed by meningitis have set up a fund-raising campaign in her name.
Alexis Rose Dlugolecka was just 19 months old when she died suddenly on February 5, leaving her parents “completely heartbroken”.
She, twin sister Christina and brother Billy (7) had been playing just hours before tragedy struck, devastated dad Alan Glynn (31) told The Courier.
Following a celebration of her life at Craigie Church, he and wife Ruth (34) decided they wanted to raise awareness of the condition.Anyone can donate online by visiting the Meningitis Fund website and there is a Facebook page here.The tot had been suffering from slight flu-like symptoms and had visited the GP earlier in the week, but she hadn’t had a rash a key warning sign of the disease.
“What happened to us was every parent’s worst nightmare Alexis was the light of our lives,” Alan said. “She was a fun-loving, pretty wee thing and a real fighter with bags of personality everyone loved her.
“She and Christina were born prematurely, weighing just over two pounds, and spent 10 weeks in hospital, but they quickly grew in strength.
“Of the two of them, Alexis was the leader. She was the first to stand alone and the first to say ‘dada’… we’re worried about how Christina will cope without her as she gets older.
“They had both been a bit under the weather but we thought it was just a virus. Alexis seemed okay when we put her to bed that night.”Fund-raiserFaced with “a huge empty feeling”, the Craigie couple decided to put their energies into fund-raising for The Meningitis Trust.
Alan said, “We knew we had to do something to help deal with the grief. The thought that our actions could help save another child’s life helps a lot. People are aware of some of the visible symptoms of the disease but not the hidden ones.
“Our baby girl was snatched from us so suddenly. We don’t want others to have to go through the pain.”
Since launching the Alexis Rose Tribute Fund last week they have raised £127 but hope to reach an ambitious £30,000. Friends and family members are organising a number of charity events across Perthshire and Stirlingshire.