A six-year-old Monifieth boy who was born with a life-threatening condition that meant even a common cold could be very dangerous is to set off on a buccaneering high-seas adventure in the Mediterranean.
Seaview Primary School pupil James Christison was born with the rare condition long segment tracheal stenosis.
This meant his windpipe was less than two millimetres wide and the first two years of his life were spent in and out of hospitals in Dundee, Glasgow and London.
Just before his second birthday he underwent a four-and-a-half-hour operation at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London to insert “medical scaffolding” to open up his airways and prevent it from collapsing.
Although he still requires regular check-ups at Yorkhill Hospital in Glasgow, he is now well enough to attend school as normal and even play football with his classmates.
Now he has been chosen to attend the star-studded charity premiere of stage show the Pirates Ultimate Adventure in Majorca.
Five children who attended Great Ormond Street will be flown to the island for the show along with invited celebrities including Claire Sweeney, hairdresser Nicky Clarke and EastEnders actor Steve McFadden.
He will be joined on the trip by older brother Adam (12), mum Karen and gran Betty Martin.Excited”This will be the first time that he will be able to remember going abroad and he is really excited,” said Karen.
“He really is lucky to be here. He started having breathing problems 10 days after we brought him home.
“It was terrible at the time but he got the best care if anyone criticises the NHS in front of me I won’t have it,” she said.
One family member who won’t be making the trip is James’ father Mark, who is likely to be marooned at the family home in Monifieth because of the ash cloud.
“He works offshore so has been put on standby but will probably just be at home,” said Karen.
The Pirates Ultimate Adventure Show, supported by First Choice holidays, has raised over £375,000 for Great Ormond Street Hospital for the past eight years.
The show’s Catherine Sasson said, “We will be celebrating our 25th anniversary this year so we want this event to be extra special for the families.”