A GOUROCK mum who has a son with leukaemia has spoken about the heartbreak she faces when her family is forced to separate.

Gillian Mowat is currently running a campaign appealing to the whole of Inverclyde to light up in a visible show of support in September for all childhood cancer patients.

Her five-year-old son Nathan is going through treatment for the life-threatening illness and has inspired the Tele-backed Glow Gold campaign.

Gillian has also spoken candidly about the impact Nathan’s fight has had on her family’s life and especially her three-year-old daughter Annabel.

She said: “Annabel was only a baby when Nathan was diagnosed.

“She doesn’t know anything else. 

“But it affects her too. She has to go and stay with her grandparents if we need to go to hospital or if someone is ill.

“She is so amazing and has adapted so well but I always try to spend quality time with her as well.

“It is very difficult and you do feel totally torn at times.

“There were times when I would be in hospital with Nathan, my husband Paul would be at work and Annabel would be at her gran’s house.

“Unfortunately the bills still have to be paid and you have to keep dealing with things.”

Despite the emotional upheaval Annabel has faced she is thriving and doing well at pre-school.

Mum-of-two Gillian said: “Annabel’s nursery told me recently that she is doing amazingly well. She is so clever and sociable, so that was a a huge relief and very emotional.”

Gillian and Paul say they are lucky to have a tight-knit family with all the grandparents pulling together to get them through the dark days.

Gillian, 36, of St Andrew’s Drive, said: “I don’t know what I would do without our parents, they are absolutely brilliant.

“But I know there are people out there who don’t have the kind of help we have.”

Nathan was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in August 2014 — his body was overproducing cancerous, immature white blood cells.

After initial intensive treatment to blast the cancer cells he was put on maintenance chemotherapy which will continue until the end of 2017.

To find out more about the Glow Gold campaign or get involved, email glowgoldkids@yahoo.co.uk or slochrie@greenocktelegraph.co.uk