It’s a fairway to
end our appeal

By Gary Moug
A FANTASTIC charity golf day was a “fairway” to end the Sunday Post Sick Children’s Appeal.
On Thursday, almost 70 golfers brought the curtain down on our successful campaign by playing a round at the stunning Carrick course at Cameron House, Loch Lomond.
Profits from the day are going to the Yorkhill Children’s Foundation in association with The Sunday Post Sick Children’s Appeal.
It was the second year the event has been held, following the success of last year when an incredible £7000 was raised.
Bruce Logan, Director and Sales Manager of Forfar-based Yoneki Valve, played last year. He was back again with three pals from his local golf club.
“It’s been an absolutely terrific day,” he said. “I read about the original event in The Sunday Post and decided it was something I wanted to be a part of.
Diagnosed
“My daughter Gillian was diagnosed with a hole in her heart when she was three. At the time, it was hard to believe because there were no visible symptoms.
“It was such a worrying time for my wife and I. She was in the children’s hospital in Edinburgh and the treatment she received was first class. Thankfully, she made a full recovery, but it made me realise how important these hospitals are.
“I remember another dad sitting with me in the hospital coffee shop. His wee lassie needed a kidney transplant. That really brings it home to you.”
Another of the golfers, former pro footballer Ian McPhee, can relate to that story. His reasons for playing were very similar.
Ian, who was joined by three pals from the King James VI Golf Club in Perth, said, “When my son Paul was a young lad, he had a kidney tumour and spent some time in the children’s hospital in Edinburgh.
“The work that goes on in these hospitals is magnificent, absolutely superb. You can’t underestimate what they do for the kids.
“Paul made a full recovery and he’s now part of the Scotland under-16 golf squad, playing off a handicap of one. 
“I read about this event in The Sunday Post and decided to sign up. It’s been a great day, the course is excellent and the organisation from the minute we got here this morning has been first class.”
Capacity
Nancy Anderson, from Bridge of Allan, was also in attendance — though only in a spectating capacity. 
She said, “My husband Steve is playing with three friends — Bill Cunningham, George Kerr and Alastair Fountain.
“I’m not a golfer but I wanted to walk around the course as I was told how beautiful it was. It really is and it’s been a lovely day.”
Joan MacLeod, fundraising manager for the Yorkhill Children’s Foundation, said, “Events like this provide much-needed funds for the foundation.
“Teams have travelled from as far as Inverurie and Forfar today and it’s been a huge success. Some of the golfers from last year are back again and hopefully we can make this an annual event.
“£5362 was raised and former Celtic and Scotland star Murdo MacLeod very kindly came to present prizes and meet our guests.
“We’d like to thank the Carrick for all their support and, in particular, for giving us two vouchers to raffle and auction on the day, which helped us raise such a fantastic amount.
“We’d also like to thank all the teams for taking part and those who donated prizes for the raffle and auction, and took out hole sponsorship.
“Special thanks also go to Allan Aitken, from Fallin, for donating a golf bag for the raffle.” 

SO THERE you have it. After 14 months, hundreds of fundraising events and around £140,000 raised, our campaign to obtain vital equipment at Scotland’s four children’s hospitals is at an end.
In that time we’ve told you about just some of the many incredibly brave children from around Scotland for whom these hospitals have provided crucial treatment. 
Children like Rachel Small, the Dunfermline teenager who was diagnosed with a brain tumour at the age of four. And Kelly McDonald, from Stuartfield, Aberdeenshire, who has a severe form of epilepsy and has been in and out of hospital her whole life. 
Weird
We’ve also told you about the weird and wacky fundraising events our readers have organised. From Greig Anderson, from Giffnock, who cycled all the way from Land’s End to John O’Groats, raising more than £15,000, to Cumbernauld man Jimmy Rexter, who donated £1000 he’d received from returning empty Irn-Bru bottles to Barr’s.
There’s also been celebrity involvement. Carol Smillie agreed to front the campaign, the MacDonald Brothers met us at Yorkhill, while international country singing star Isla Grant is taking our appeal around the world.
We’ll be keeping you up-to-date with her efforts to raise money while on tour.
At this time, we’d just like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has contributed. 
Once again, the generosity of Sunday Post readers has been overwhelming and every penny has been much appreciated.
Although we won’t be featuring stories in the paper on a weekly basis, readers are still more than welcome to send in money for Scotland’s children’s hospitals.
We’ll be delighted to pass it on.

You can e-mail us at: hospitals@sundaypost.com