Glasgow mum sobs after baby gets helmet to reshape ‘severely’ deformed skull

Tracey Mulholland Cairns is over the moon that her little girl is now receiving treatment for her Plagiocephaly and Brachycephaly deformity.

The condition means the seven-month-old tot’s head is ‘flat’ and mis-shapen, leaving her mum worried she could be bullied.

Tracey with baby Remi

The 40-year-old felt like a ‘terrible mother’ when she first couldn’t pay the huge £3,000 bill to buy the TiMband Helmet, which would correct the deformity.

It comes as the device, which acts as a brace to gently reshape Remi's head, isn’t available on the NHS because it is seen as ‘cosmetic’.

But after feeling, ‘hopeless’ Tracey from Easterhouse was blown away when her community rallied round and chipped almost £7,000 to buy the helmet.

Now Remi is wearing it 23 hours a day and her family hopes she won’t need a second one due to the severity of her condition.

Remi needed the helmet to reshape her head

Tracey said: “I cried when she first got it put on.

“It was a relief going from feeling hopeless to actually seeing it on her.

“It was happy tears and she does look so cute!

“So far she has been okay a little bit crabbit but it's for the best we need to persevere.

“We had to gradually build up wearing time to 23 hours a day with a one hour break.

“She may need a second helmet due to growth and her severity the money raised will cover those costs as well.”

Tracey’s fundraising efforts which raked in thousands smashing their £3,000 target are now being used to help other children secure helmets for the same condition.

She has been overwhelmed by the support from ‘fellow Glaswegians’ but has also seen donations come in from across the globe.

Now she hopes to continue raising money for babies like Remi and is even raffling a Rangers signed top for the cause.

Tracey said “The love and support from the people of Glasgow and my wee community has been phenomenal.

“I'm so happy we got there with the help of our fellow Glaswegians, we even received a donation from someone in Orlando, Florida with a lovely message.

“Remi also got personally gifted money from all the lovely ladies at Connect Community Trust Bingo in Provanhall, we are taking her to her first ever wee Caravan break thanks to them.

“Remi has made a little friend called Buddy Rob, her fund helped with his deposit for a helmet.

“Now he has reached his target as well through his Mummy fundraising.

“I have just been so overwhelmed by everyone's kindness and how the community really came to support me.

“They have really taken the pressure off which I am eternally grateful for, I really can’t believe how much they have done for me.”