Logan Wilkieson celebrates first birthday

6:45pm Friday 21st March 2008

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A FIRST birthday is always a special occasion - but for one family it is a day they feared they would never see.

Little Logan Wilkieson was diagnosed with a rare life-threatening diesease in October last year.

He spent four months in hospital in Newcastle living in a bubble of clean air because the slightest infection could have killed him.

But today the smiling youngster was at home to celebrate his first birthday with his family.

It was a low key affair because Logan cannot be in contact with other children yet, and he didn't have a cake because he cannot eat dairy products.

But he enjoyed unwrapping his presents, which included DVDs and books, and he is getting a bike from his parents and a swing and slide from his grandparents in the summer.

The past few months have been a difficult for his parents, Ruth Lawrie, aged 21, and Gareth Wilkieson, aged 22, who had to give up their home in Dale Street West, Horwich, and move to Newcastle to be near their son.

Mr Wilkieson continued to work as a door shutter fitter and travelled to Newcastle at the weekends.

But earlier this month Logan was well enough to leave hospital, after undergoing a successful stem cell transplant and blood transfusion.

Now the family are getting used to a more normal lifestyle at their home in Kendal Road, Wigan.

Miss Lawrie said: "It is brilliant that Logan has reached this milestone and we had a great day.

"A few months ago it was a bit touch and go when Logan was diagnosed with the disease, but fortunately the operation was successful.

"Things are still a bit different for Logan - everything has to be cleaned thoroughly before he can touch them and he cannot have any contact with children yet.

"But he enjoys being home and it is great to see him giggling and laughing and getting better."

Logan suffers from severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) which affects one in 100,000 babies.

Eventually he should go on to live a normal life.