WHEN little Bethany Salmon, three, was found to have a serious liver illness, Eckersley House at St James's Hospital, Leeds, proved a lifeline for her parents. Now they want to repay the kindness of staff there.
The Thorhnill couple are appealing to anyone with spare outdoor Christmas lights to donate them and raise money for charity.
Samantha Martson, 30, and her partner Anthony Salmon, 46, of Mountain Road, will cover their house with the lights then charge a small fee for people to view a spectacular switching-on ceremony.
All proceeds will be donated to Eckersley House at St James's Hospital, Leeds, funded by the charity Home from Home, part of the Sick Children's Trust.
Eckersley House provides on-site accommodation for parents whose children are undergoing long-term hospital treatment.
The couple spent time there with their daughter, three-year-old Bethany Salmon, when she was treated at the hospital for a rare liver disease.
Ms Marston said: "We need as many lights as possible, even if they are broken.
"Every year we put lights on the outside of our house. We tend to be one of those houses that everyone drives past anyway, but this year we are having more.
"Last year we had over 3,000 lights. They took weeks to put up.
"The public can come along and watch the lights being switched on for a small fee. We want to create a street-party atmosphere."
Ms Marston added: "It is a specialist hospital for children and the first thing we thought of when Bethany went in was 'where will we stay'.
"I stayed on the ward but only one parent is allowed to do that so her dad stayed in Eckersley House.
"It's like having a flat. You get a bedroom and your own fridge and things but there's a communal lounge where you can meet other parents.
"It wasn't too bad for us because we are quite local, but there are some families from Newcastle, Ireland – because it is a specialist hospital they can come from all over."
Bethany suffers from a rare genetic condition called Progressive Familial Intraheptic Cholestasis which affects just 20 children in the UK and causes total liver failure.
She spent most of the first year of her life in hospital.
Her 18-month-old sister Eloise is so far free from the condition.
The lights will be switched on at 7pm on Saturday December 9. Everyone is welcome to come along and enjoy the festivities.
Anyone who has spare lights to donate can contact Samantha Marston on 07931 407632 or at
fairenuff@aol.com. Lights can be collected if required.
