A Dundee mother has paid tribute to her ”brave wee boy” after he lost his fight for life aged 11.
Jamie Smart was diagnosed with quadriplegia cerebral palsy at 11 months old. His illness confined him to a wheelchair and left him only able to communicate through facial expressions but mother Jenny Howden (37) said he had been in a healthy state.
His condition deteriorated, with the youngster going into respiratory arrest before sadly passing away at Ninewells Hospital.
Jenny said: ”It was quite traumatic at the end. We were warned that it could happen. I just knew when he went into respiratory arrest that was it and I just had a horrible feeling.
”We were warned his life would be cut shorter but he never suffered. He was a very healthy, happy boy right up until the end.”
Jamie, from Craigiebarns, attended Dundee’s Kingspark school and loved being with his family, especially his younger sister Emily (9) and brother Zak (8), with whom he would listen to pop music.
”They loved him and always accepted him,” she said. His brother and sister were there with him at the end and got to say their goodbyes.
”At times it was very hard as a family to balance everything but Jamie never missed out on anything. He came to Florida with us. He was a massive part of the family.”
So apparent was Jamie’s love for life that family and friends were asked to wear bright colours to his funeral on Tuesday at St Stephen’s and West Church in Broughty Ferry.
Donations were collected for the Dundee-based charity PAMIS (the Profound and Multiple Impairment Service), which helped Jenny and her family throughout Jamie’s illness.
She said: ”I got involved with PAMIS when Jamie was really young. We became really heavily involved with them and Jamie’s dad, Alan Smart, worked for PAMIS and put everything into it as well.”
Loretto Lambe, director of PAMIS, said: ”We have been supporting the family throughout Jamie’s life from when he was a small child right up until his sad and untimely death.
”He was a much-loved little boy and a huge part of his family. His parents did their best to give him a good quality of life.
”They were very kind in letting us use photos of Jamie to help raise awareness of the charity. We would like to thank the family for remembering us at this terrible time and will look to discuss with them in the future how the donations from Jamie’s funeral will be used.”
PAMIS, which relies on funding and donations, offers families practical support, advice, training and informations, as well as contact with other families in the same position. It also helps disabled people and their carers access community facilities, and gives them the opportunity to influence policy and services, both at local and national levels.
Jamie and his family travelled to the Scottish Parliament with the charity to celebrate the launch of new British Building Standards which included, for the first time, specifications setting a good practice standard for fully accessible disabled toilets in public buildings.
Loretto said the money raised at Jamie’s funeral will be spent with his family’s wishes in mind.