Heart boy's family forever grateful

James Ramsay with one of his football heroes, Lionel Messi

Fourteen years on they’re still keen to highlight the rare condition that nearly killed James Ramsay and want to raise funds for research.

John and Suzanne have organised a charity night with proceeds going to the British Heart Foundation.

James was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome and was given only a 25 per cent chance of surviving surgery when he was five days old.

A bucket collection boosted the Ramsay family's fundraising effort this month

He had four operations and the family moved to Manchester to be nearer the specialist unit where he was treated.

They moved back to Lanarkshire in 2011 and at that time James’s parents held a charity night in Bellshill and a fancy dress walk to raise money for the BHF.

Their latest venture, featuring live entertainment, a raffle and an auction, will be held at the Imperial Social Club on Saturday, June 24.

James is now a pupil at Bellshill Academy. He loves football although he has to be careful with physical activity. He met one of his heroes, Lionel Messi, thanks to the Make a Wish Foundation when Barcelona played Celtic in Dublin.

His parents have been warned he will need a heart transplant later in life, but they hope medical progress will mean at some point that is not necessary for patients.

Tickets for the charity night are available from John, telephone 07817 715822, and from the Burns Bar where donations for the raffle and auction can be dropped off.