The mum of a Cupar girl who suffers from a rare genetic condition has made an impassioned plea for the public to help find her daughter’s beloved soft toy ‘Puppy’.
Lesley Neville was walking with six-and-a-half-year old Emily at Tarvit Park in Cupar at lunchtime on Monday when she thinks they dropped the soft toy on the way home to Edenbank Road.
Lesley said the toy was apparently last spotted on a metal post near the railway bridge at the entrance to Oak Vale, off Pitscottie Road, after school, suggesting that someone had picked him up.
However, despite appeals on social media, Lesley says the toy has still not been found.
Now she hopes Courier readers can help spread the word.
Constant companion
“Puppy is Emily’s constant companion and she is distraught,” said Lesley, an unpaid carer for Emily who requires 24-hour care.
“We had him on Monday at Tarvit Park, so I’m wondering if we’ve dropped him there or on the walk home to Edenbank Road.
“Puppy is cream in colour with a red and grey collar with a tag. It has my phone number on it. I’m praying we find him as she is so sad.”
Lesley explained that Emily is enrolled with the ASC department at Castlehill Primary in Cupar, but has only been able to attend a few times due to shielding from Covid-19.
Rare genetic condition
Emily has a very rare genetic condition called Wolf Hirschhorn Syndrome, which brings many challenges including severe communication difficulties.
She has congenital heart defect, a seizure disorder and very slow growth and development.
Puppy is over 20-years-old, and was handed down to Emily by one of her older sisters.
Emily’s big sister Ava, aged 10, who was also out for a walk with her mum and sister when Puppy went missing, has also been shielding at home to protect Emily from Covid-19.
Lesley added: “If anyone finds him, please, please can you call the number on the tag so we can get him home, as Emily is barely functioning without him. Poor Emily is asking about him constantly.”
