The grandparents of a Perth toddler left alone with the body of his mother are campaigning to raise awareness of the condition that killed her.
Lydia Macdonald, 28, died at her Perth home in June after suffering an asthma attack in her sleep.
Her three-year-old son Mason was the only other person in the Lickley Road flat at the time and stayed with the body for several days.
No one is sure exactly how long Mason was with his mother before a neighbour heard his pleading for help to “wake my mummy” through the letterbox.
Mason, whose father died when he was just eight months old, is now staying with his grandparents Ron and Linda Macdonald.
He has told them he spent the time with his mother playing his computer and waiting for her to wake up.
As well as caring for Mason, Linda and Ron are now also trying to raise money for charity Asthma UK and to raise awareness of just how serious a condition asthma can be.
Yesterday they visited the Asthma UK Centre for Applied Research at Edinburgh University and met representatives from Asthma UK.
The charity has agreed that all funds raised in memory of Lydia will go directly to the research centre.
Linda said: “People don’t realise that you can actually die from asthma.
“They think that anyone with asthma can just take their inhaler and then they’re fine, but asthma can kill.
“Because of what happened to my daughter and little Mason we just don’t want this to happen to anyone else.
“When people have a child with asthma, or someone in their family has it, they need to know what to do during an attack.”
As part of their fundraising drive Ron, 67, and Linda, 58, have organised a charity evening at the Salutation Hotel in Perth on Friday.
Tickets for ‘Oor Lydia’s Perty in the Toon’ cost £10 and are available from the hotel.
Donations can also be made through a fundraising page set up in Lydia’s memory, which can be visited at the Lydia Macdonald Tribute Fund website.
Linda said Mason is getting over the traumatic events of June.
She said: “Mason is doing really well.
“He’s a very happy little boy and is just like his mum.”
She added: “He is full of life and full of mischief. Lydia brought him up to be really independent and I think that was his saving grace.”
A message on the website to Lydia from Mason posted last month reads: “Mummy . . . I know you’re in heaven but i feel you’re with me.
“You was the world’s best mummy, you gave the best hugs and kisses . . .You was so much fun and so funny.”