Abbie’s Army takes on the Kiltwalk
Losing a child is one of the most difficult things a parent can go through. For Alanna and Scott, they’re hoping to turn the experience of losing their daughter Abbie last year into a lasting legacy.
Abbie was born on April 20th last year and discharged the following day, but was later taken to hospital by ambulance and treated in the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit. Within the first couple of hours, it was discovered Abbie had an undiagnosed heart defect which led to multi-organ failure. Abbie sadly died at eight days old. Alanna and Scott later found out she had been born with a further three heart defects.
Earlier this year, Alanna, Scott, and Abbie’s older sister Evie rallied friends and family together to create a team of over 80 people to take on the Glasgow Kiltwalk in memory of Abbie. Abbie’s Army tackled a combined 40 miles across the Wee Wander, the Big Stroll, and the Mighty Stride, raising over £20,000 for Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity.
“The weekend we were in PICU with Abbie was the weekend of the 2025 Glasgow Kiltwalk. We had been speaking to the nurses about it, and decided we were going to do it the following year and raise money for the charity.
“When Kiltwalk dates were announced that November, we knew we had to sign up. I put out a post on my social media to see if any friends or family wanted to join us and Abbie’s Army was created.
“Originally, there was about 40 of us, but it kept growing and growing and growing, and we ended up with 87 people part of Abbie’s Army, which was beyond anything I could have ever even imagined.
“For us, it was for Abbie and it was for PICU, so whilst it was sad, it was also such an uplifting and emotional day.”
Alanna, Abbie’s Mum
The money raised from their Kiltwalk takes the total Alanna and Scott have fundraised to over £35,500, including the MuchLoved page for Abbie which Alanna and Scott set up last year. They decided to support Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity after using several of the charity-funded services over the last year, including Miniboo comforter blankets during Abbie’s time in PICU, and counselling with the Child Bereavement Support Team at Crossbasket House.
“Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity has always been a part of our lives, but it wasn’t until we lost Abbie that we realised how much we wanted to do for the charity.
“Everyone needs to be involved with the children’s hospital at some point, it’s the biggest hospital we’ve got for our kids in Scotland. You don’t want to have to access it, but when you do you know you are in the best possible hands.
“Scott and I both volunteer for the charity now, and I think it’s just given us another positive place to put our experience. A big part of it is going to all these fundraising events and telling everyone all the great things that the charity does and how they support children and their families in hospital. We got two of the Miniboos when Abbie was in PICU and that’s obviously funded by the charity, and to this day I’ve still got Abbie’s Miniboo - it comes everywhere with me.
“It feels like we’re creating something really positive out of something that was so earth shattering, and that we are supporting families that are going through the darkest of days in PICU. I think people don’t realise the amount of work that the charity actually does in the hospital.”
Alanna
As well as volunteering, Alanna and her family are planning on completing all four Kiltwalks next year.
“In the lead up to the Kiltwalk, somebody told me, ‘when you think about giving up, think about why you started.’ That was our biggie, it got to mile twenty and I was like, nope. And then I thought no, do you know what? Look at what Abbie went through, you need to keep going. I think in general just putting your heart into it and thinking about the difference you’re making to these people’s lives is enough to carry you through anything.
“Our circumstances are different to others, and everyone’s story is so different, but for us, it was a case of, after everything Abbie went through, we can walk 23 miles.
“Abbie was perfect. It’s just that her heart wasn’t as it should have been, but she will always be so loved and she’s always going to be a part of our family. By supporting the charity, we’re giving her a legacy.”
Alanna
“We are so grateful to Alanna, Scott and their friends and family for the outstanding amount they have raised for the charity,” said Kirsten Watson, CEO of Glasgow Children’s Hospital Children. “They have created a lovely legacy for Abbie, which will be crucial in raising the vital funds needed to support the children and young people being treated in the Royal Hospital for Children.”
Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity is thankful to Alanna, Scott, and their friends and families’ contribution and support to the charity, which is vital in supporting charity-funded programmes like the Miniboo comforter blankets in Scotland’s busiest children’s hospital and Crossbasket House’s Child Bereavement Support Team.