An Edinburgh charity done cared for a worried family for 16 nights while their young daughter recovered from surgery due to a severe spinal disease. The family talked about the “horrific” moment their daughter was diagnosed and lauded Ronald McDonald House Edinburgh, which “removed one of the biggest stresses” from their daughter’s post-operation experience. Six-year-old Hazel Kerrigan was diagnosed in 2024 with spondylolisthesis, a rare spinal condition where vertebrae slip out of place. In severe cases, it can cause paralysis and incontinence. Hazel’s dad Stewart first noticed a curve in his daughter’s back but thought it was only a case of scoliosis. However, after taking Hazel to the doctor’s, she was referred to a spinal specialist and eventually diagnosed by a spinal expert in Edinburgh. They informed Hazel’s family that she would need urgent surgery.
Hazel went in for surgery at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh, where she underwent a bone graft, and rods were inserted into her back. The experience was nerve-wracking for Hazel’s parents Stewart and Michelle. Only one person was permitted to spend the night with Hazel on the ward. Based in Glasgow, the couple expected to shell out thousands of pounds in hotel fees to stay in Edinburgh while Hazel recovered post-surgery. However, an Edinburgh charity stepped in to spare the parents the added pressure during their harrowing experience. The Ronald McDonald House provides free accommodation to carers with children in hospital. Based inside the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People, their Edinburgh facility allowed Stewart and Michelle to stay by their daughter’s side while she underwent treatment.
Stewart shared: “She’s doing amazing, she’s the strongest wee girl in the world.”
