LITTLE Olly James lived for just four weeks — but he left his devastated mum with a lifetime of memories.

A year on from his tragic death, his mother Joanne Cope hopes to raise £5,000 towards the type of specialist equipment which gave her those precious moments with her son.

Olly was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, a rare condition which meant the left side of his heart was severely under-developed.

He had been placed on an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (EMO) machine, which costs more than £100,000 and supports the heart and lung by helping to pump oxygen around the body.

Joanne, of Cherry Tree Avenue, Farnworth, said she wants to do whatever she can to support the Children’s Heart Unit Fund in Freeman Hospital in Newcastle.

Olly was transferred to the unit from the North West for specialist treatment, and spent three weeks there.

He died on September 4, 2013, waiting for a heart transplant.

Joanne, who also has a seven-year-old son Harley, said she and her partner Gareth Bagnall were extremely grateful for the support Olly received.

She said: “The babies were so young that they were looking after and the hours the staff put in were incredible.

“When Olly had his operation to replace ventricles on the left side of his heart, the surgeon literally stayed there all night.

“It was amazing what they did, I was shocked by how good the care was.

“The nurses were fantastic. They kept us going.”

Joanne said she hopes to continue fundraising for the unit, which is one of only two centres in the UK offering paediatric heart transplants, and will travel to Newcastle to present a cheque after a fundraising event tonight.

The charity ball takes place at Rumworth Hall at 7pm with all proceeds going towards the hospital.

Signed Bolton Wanderers shirts and a VIP package to watch Salford Reds play in 2015 will be auctioned off, as well as a raffle.

To find out more, email joannecope13@hotmail.co.uk