Elyza, the daughter of Yasmin Whittington, 30, is afflicted by an unknown condition manifesting as persistent sickness, poor feeding, diminished muscle tone, and chronic fatigue. The symptoms first emerged when Elyza was just two months old, leading to months of hospitalisation and numerous diagnostic tests in an attempt to identify her ailment. Elyza has been in hospital for more than three months of her life, and doctors initially thought her illness was 'floppy infant syndrome', but believe there must be an underlying cause.
Elyza's only just started sitting and she can’t feed orally; she’s fed through a tube and struggles to gain weight; development-wise she’s closer to a five or six-month-old. Elyza may also soon have to rely on a feeding tube directly to her stomach as she suffers from serious gastrointestinal problems. Her mother, Ms Whittington, has been forced to leave her job to provide full-time care for Elyza.
Ms Whittington is taking part in Glasgow’s Kiltwalk challenge to raise money for The Archie Foundation, a charity established to improve healthcare for children. The family credited the charity for helping make a difference to their daughter’s life, providing them with a special car seat that supports Elyza’s low muscle tone. Ms Whittington will take part in the walk with her friends, Zoe McCormack, 30, and Rohana Dewfall, 29, and plans to raise more money later this year during the Dundee Kiltwalk.