Kind-hearted volunteer group donate £1,000 to help brave girl Scarlett (From Thisisdorset)

Kind-hearted volunteer group donate £1,000 to help brave girl Scarlett

10:00am Tuesday 12th March 2013 in Latest By Catherine Bolado

A VOLUNTEER group has donated £1,000 towards a special vest to help a brave little girl with cystic fibrosis breathe.

Donations have been pouring in to help nine-month-old Scarlett Russ, who was diagnosed with the condition three months ago.

Ever since, her parents Lisa and Colin, have been trying to raise £10,000 for a special vest, which will help the Weymouth toddler breathe.

The Echo has launched a Saving for Scarlett appeal to help them hit the target.

And yesterday the League of Friends of Weymouth and Portland Hospitals bolstered the appeal by handing in a cheque for £1,000 at the Echo office.

Chairman David Smith said Scarlett’s story had melted the hearts of the committee and everyone had wanted to donate to help her.

He said that since 1993 the group had donated £600,000 to local hospitals and GP surgeries but that it also considered serious individual cases.

Mr Smith said: “The pictures in the Echo melted our hearts.

“I called the committee members.

“All the committee snapped up the idea immediately.”

Mr Smith said the committee wished the family all the very best with the campaign.

Scarlett’s condition affects her internal organs, especially the lungs and digestive system, by clogging them with thick sticky mucus, making it hard for her to breathe and digest food.

The League of Friends money was among the donations and offers of help to flood in.

Christopher Davis, from Wyke Regis, donated £20 as he said he had been ill when he was young and just wanted to help.

Scarlett’s mum, Lisa, 22, said she was lost for words and that the donations were amazing.

In a message to everyone who had donated, she said: “If we can just thank them from the bottom of our hearts. I’m so grateful for everyone’s help.”

She added: “Everyone’s support is lovely.

“It’s lovely to know everyone cares. It’s amazing it really is.”

Mrs Russ said that when she heard how much the vest would cost she cried.

She said: “I didn’t think we’d get anywhere near that amount. Everyone’s been so kind it’s unbelievable.”

How you can increase the fund

WE ARE collecting donations on behalf of the Russ family.

• Cheque: You can send a cheque to the Dorset Echo, made payable to the Dorset Echo and posted to Fleet House, Hampshire Road, Weymouth, Dorset, DT4 9XD
• Cash: You can drop cash in to the Echo offices in Weymouth or Antelope Walk, Dorchester. Please make sure you include your name and contact number with the donation.
• To help Scarlett you can visit her Facebook page – Scarlett’s Starlett’s or telephone the Russ family on 07929 033830.