A GOUROCK family raised almost a thousand pounds to help sick children by taking part in a charity zipslide across the Clyde.

Gillian and Robert Marshall, pictured, did it along with Gillian’s sister, Kirsteen MacKenzie.

They hoped to collect £240 for Meningitis Now – but actually got £855!
The family have supported the charity since Gillian and Robert’s daughter, Abbie, inset, contracted meningitis three years ago at only 13 days old.

She is now a healthy toddler, but still needs to get annual check-ups.

Gillian, 37, said that, as well as boosting the charity’s funds, she wanted to use the event to alert parents that the disease can strike without warning.

She said only a combination of worry and ‘mother’s instinct’ got her daughter the emergency life-saving treatment she desperately needed after falling gravely ill.

Gillian said: “Everyone goes on about the symptoms, such as the rash which appears. But Abbie had no rash.

“She woke me at 4am because she was making whimpering noises and I was very worried. I called my health centre at 8am and they made an appointment for me at 11am.

“But I decided to take her directly to hospital – and within 90 minutes she was on a life support machine.

“If I had waited for the health centre appointment, she would have died in the house. The staff at Inverclyde Royal saved her life and stabilised her over six hours before she was transferred to Yorkhill.”

Gillian said the zipslide at the Finnieston crane in Glasgow was a bit nerve-wracking, but well worth it.

She said: “It was an amazing experience, and we would like to thank everyone who contributed so generously to the appeal.”