A DESPERATE mum of a leukaemia-stricken little girl is pleading with Inverclyde housing chiefs to urgently help save her life — by providing somewhere safe to stay.

Greenock Telegraph: Little Aria with her mum Leighann Forsyth

Brave little Aria McGill, who was diagnosed in June after becoming unwell, is undergoing gruelling chemotherapy which is ravaging her tiny body and leaving her vulnerable to life-threatening illness.

Doctors have told her mum Leighann Forsyth that she needs to move from her flat in Broomhill Street, as Aria needs her own room to reduce the risk of infections that could kill her.

Greenock Telegraph: Leighann told the Tele how her flat in Broomhill Street is too small, is in need of repair and is two flights up, making it difficult for Aria, who is incredibly weak and has limited mobility.

In between nursing her daughter, who is undergoing operations, treatments and long stays in hospital, Leighann is having to try to fight her way through the bidding system for a new house on her own.

Greenock Telegraph:

After repeatedly hitting a brick wall and getting no response, the 38-year-old turned to Councillor Colin Jackson to fight her corner.

After trying to reach out to them on her behalf, he fired off an angry letter to all those involved slamming the failures of social housing landlords to act.

Leighann, currently living with her mum in Angus Road, said: "For us this is a matter of life and death. Time is not on our hands and I want to do the best I can for Aria while I have her. It is stressing me out beyond belief. I just want to give Aria the best chance of survival. But we are living with my mum because my house is not suitable.

"The doctors say I shouldn't take Aria back to Broomhill Street. It is overcrowded and needs repairs, there are nails sticking out everywhere and that would put her in danger.

"We're also up two flights to stairs and Aria is too fragile.

"And she needs her own room, so that she stands a chance of fighting infection. Any spike in her temperature could kill her.

"Aria might not be here in a year's time and I am having to fight to get her a house to stay in, somewhere that she is safe and gives her a fighting chance."

After Leighann was given the devastating news that her daughter had acute lymphoblastic leukaemia she immediately underwent a life-saving surgical procedure before spending eight weeks in hospital.

Aria is under the care of the Schiehallion Unit at the Glasgow Royal Hospital for Sick Children.

Leighann said: "When she was diagnosed they said that another few days and I could have lost her. I knew she was ill but never in my worst nightmare did I expect leukaemia.

"Aria is the most amazing little girl, she is always smiling and the staff at Schiehallion love her. But it is so tough and she has bad days."

Mum-of-two Leighann is a River Clyde Homes tenant but also registered with the Inverclyde Common Housing Register in the hope of opening up her chances of finding a suitable home.

Leighann and Aria are now separated from her oldest daughter, 18-year-old Tamzin, who can't live with them because of the overcrowding.

Leighann added: "Aria misses her big sister. We are devastated to be separated and we all need one another. But I can't take Aria to Broomhill Street and we only have one room in my mum's. I sleep on a blow up bed because I can't take any risks with Aria."

Leighann also needs to be close to her mum and stepdad so she can get access to transport to take Aria to hospital at short notice.

When Leighann spoke to the Tele Aria was once again facing another two days in hospital, first for an operation for a lumbar puncture and then more chemotherapy.

Frustrated Leighann, who says she has lost out on two houses so far, said: "I have spent time I don't have on phone calls about housing. I was told in one call I was a priority but that 39 people were in front of me and 'better luck next time'!

"How can Aria be 39th on the list for a house? I'm now looking at private lets because I have no other choice."

After trying and failing to get a house on her own, Leighann contacted Mr Jackson as her local councillor.

He says he made immediate contact with River Clyde Homes and also Larkfield Housing on his constituent's behalf, because Leighann had bid for two of their properties.

He states he got no response at all from Larkfield and only an acknowledgement from River Clyde Homes, and then sent them a blistering letter.

It said: 'That none of you have contacted, effectively engaged, or offered any support to the family is a disgrace; worse is the failure of one RSL, where suitable accommodation has been identified, to even respond to any correspondence from myself on the family's behalf.

'The family is now in the desperate position of trying to find a private landlord because of your collective failure to address their needs.

'This is a shocking indictment on the current housing stock, your organisations, and the strategic direction of social housing within Inverclyde.'

Cllr Jackson told the Tele: "We have been ignored. It was only when I copied in the Greenock Telegraph that anyone responded. What is the point if we can't help a little girl like Aria and her mum? What bigger priority is there?"

A River Clyde Homes spokesperson said: “We are extremely sorry to hear about Ms Forsyth’s daughter and sympathise with the family regarding their current situation.

"We are proactively engaging with Ms Forsyth on her rehousing options and will continue to do so until the matter is resolved.

"We have no record of any repairs outstanding at her current property, however Ms Forsyth recently mentioned works are required to hall flooring and a bedroom door. Work orders will be raised for these to be completed as soon as possible."

RCH also insist that they did respond to Councillor Jackson.

A spokesperson for Link Housing, which Larkfield HA is a part of, said: “We appreciate the urgency of Aria Forsyth and her family’s situation, and ICHR partners are working to find suitable accommodation as soon as possible within the confines of the Inverclyde Common Housing Register and our allocations policy.

“The policy’s primary aim is to provide good quality affordable rented accommodation to those in the greatest housing need. There are 3,781 people registered with ICHR, with various needs.

“Although there is a national shortage of affordable social housing, we are communicating with the Scottish Government and housing sector trade bodies on raising awareness of this issue.”