Terminally ill schoolboy will walk mum down aisle for dream wedding

Maxine Campbell and Michael Connelly - who call themselves ‘Scotland’s most unlucky couple’ - where shocked to win a £15k wedding at the Dumfries Arms.

The couple have been together for 13 years but put plans for a wedding on hold to look after their terminally ill son Jack.

The seven-year-old has suffered serious health problems all his life and has had three major open heart surgeries.

His parents have been scrimping and saving every penny they have to look after their four children and help Jack with his conditions.

It meant they had to cut way back on work hours and devote all their time to child care so any dreams of planning a big wedding had to be put aside.

But now the family are thrilled that they can have an amazing wedding with Jack there to walk his mum down the aisle.

Maxine said: “We have four children but our second born, Jack, was born with a lot of complex medical conditions which means we spent lots of time in the hospital not knowing the future.

“He was just five-daysold when he had the 16 hour surgery which was terrifying for us. He almost didn’t make it a few times. Over the first couple of days we had to constantly rush to the hospital because the doctors didn’t think he would make it.

“After we got him out the hospital and home our problems were far from over as loads of other issues with Jacks health started to come up.

“He ended up needing a feeding tube, as well as operations on his eyes, his ears, his testicles, and on his tummy.

“He had his third open heart surgery in July 2015 and that was the last one he will have. The procedure gives children like Jack a temporary life span.

"Basically it bides time until his body gets to a stage when enough is enough.

"There will come a day jack won’t be here with us, he isn’t guaranteed a transplant.

"You never know when that day will come. Now that is more real for us than ever.

"It may be sooner than we think.

“I was in total shock when we found out we had won the wedding. It doesn’t feel real I couldn’t believe it Me and Michael are so delighted to have won you can’t even imagine.

“We thought we were the most unlucky couple ever so to think you will never win to just be handed it is amazing.

“It will be our 13th anniversary as well which is usually an unlucky number but not anymore.

“I always said if I got married I would just love for Jack to be there, now I can’t believe I’m really going to get it.”