Happy birthday Lochie!

Lochie from Broughty Ferry celebrates his ninth birthday with one clear dream - to become an ice hockey player.

A whirlwind of energy, he spends his time training hard, working towards his ice hockey badges and cheering for the Edinburgh Capitals - his favourite team. 

Watching him now, full of life and determination, you would never guess the fight he has already won. At just eight months old, Lochie's world changed. He became critically unwell, diagnosed with stage four high-risk neuroblastoma, an advanced stage of cancer.

Rushed to the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People in Edinburgh, his outlook was uncertain and Lochie spent seventeen long months in hospital. Occasional precious weekends back in Broughty Ferry were supported by community nurses ensuring his treatment could continue safely.

During that time, blood donations became Lochie's lifeline. Over the course of his treatment, he received more than sixty transfusions, including both red cells and platelets - each one made possible by someone like you.

Lochie's mum Joanne, said, 'You really don't understand how vital blood products are until you live through something like this. You never think it will be your family. Every transfusion Lochie received mattered and without donors, he simply would not be here.'

Joanne, inspired by the care and dedication Lochie received during those months, trained as a nurse so she could give something back, and qualified last August. Her message to donors is, 'Lochie has now been in remission for over seven years. He simply would not be here without the people who give their time to give blood. I am entirely grateful to every single donor.'

• To meet the needs of hospitals around the country, Scotland needs approximately 450 donors every single day.
• You don't need to be an athlete to be someone's hero. Book your appointment online, or call 0345 90 90 999 (Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm)