By Steven Bowron
FOUR of Scottish rugby’s finest popped into the Sick Kid’s Hospital in Edinburgh to distribute presents to
the wards.
 They also took the opportunity to say a
big “thank you” to The Sunday Post for running its charity appeal.
Captain Allister Hogg, prop Allan Jacobsen, flanker David Callam and fullback Ben Cairns are all members of Edinburgh Rugby Club.
They’re fully behind our campaign and praised the generosity of readers who
are raising funds for vital services and equipment.
“The Edinburgh Rugby
Club has been affiliated with Edinburgh Sick Kids for seven years,” said Scottish international Allister. “And we welcome all the support the hospital has been getting from The Sunday Post.
Boost
“It’s great to know so much money has been raised during the year and the profile of the charity has been given such a boost.”
The lads were laden with scores of parcels donated by Edinburgh supporters and spent the afternoon going round wards to hand out the gifts to all the young patients who couldn’t be home for Christmas.
Among them was 15-year-old Zyiad and Kim (10), both patients in the oncology unit.
In his third year in the
job, Allister has become something of a veteran as a Sick Kids “Santa”.
He also gets involved in fund-raising events and in March was among the Edinburgh Rugby Club stalwarts attending the hospital’s “Boys’ Bash”.
Held at Jongleurs comedy club, 200 participants competed for gold medals in a sports-themed quiz which included identifying a mystery guest who turned out to be Kilmarnock footballer Gary Locke.
The evening raised
more than £12,000 for the cause.
Ben Cairns (22), on his
first Christmas visit, has had first-hand experience of the hospital. “When I was a child of about nine or 10 I suffered from epilepsy and had to come in every six months for check-ups,” he said.
“It was what they call ‘petit mal’, where I’d lose awareness of my surroundings and just appear to be day-dreaming.
“I’d come in to get monitored, but it was something I eventually just grew out of.
“But I remember the staff being absolutely brilliant. They really knew how to put you at your ease and it’s just good to be able to give something back.”
Perspective
Club spokesman Andrew Sleight, added, “The players were very moved when supporters brought along presents to the Heineken Cup match against Leinster a couple of weeks ago.
“Going to the hospital is something all the players try to do and they find it so touching. It really puts things into perspective.
“Over the course of a season the players might sustain some awful injuries but they’re nothing compared to what these children have to put up with.
“And it’s so much harder for the children to be in there at Christmas.”
Maureen Harrison, Director of the Sick Kids’ Friends Foundation, said, “We’re really delighted that Edinburgh Rugby Club come in every year at Christmas to visit children who may be stopping in over the holidays.
“For some of them it will be an opportunity to meet their heroes.
“We’re also grateful to all the supporters who gave presents.
“And of course, we
continue to be grateful to The Sunday Post and all its wonderful readers for their generosity.”
 IF YOU have a
special reason for contributing to or raising funds for our appeal
then we’d like to hear from you.
It could be that
you’d like to thank caring staff for the treatment they’ve
provided in your hour of need. Or perhaps a relative spent time in
one of Scotland’s children’s hospitals and the experience has
left a lasting impression on your family’s life.
Whatever the reason,
please let us know.
We’d be delighted
to share your experiences with our readers. And, who knows,
it may inspire others to follow in your fund-raising footsteps.
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