AFTER the loss of her baby daughter Andi Whitelaw decided the best way to heal was to help other people's children.

And now the brave teenager is being supported by her colleagues who will tomorrow raise cash to help the hospital where little Lexi Lee was treated.

Cardonald Private Nursery is going to Go Purple for Glasgow Children's Hospital Charity's Schiehallion Appeal.

And Andi said she couldn't be more grateful to her co-workers for their support.

The 18-year-old said: "I think it is absolutely brilliant that they are doing this.

"The Schiehallion ward did a lot for our family and it is great to get this chance to give something back after everything they gave for Lexi Lee and myself and her dad.

"The staff there were so good."

Andi's little girl was just one-and-a-half years old when she died in 2015 after being diagnosed at the age of nine months with neuroblastoma.

She and her partner had taken Lexi Lee back and forward to their GP as the little one seemed unwell.

But the couple were told their baby had constipation or a viral infection.

Finally, shortly before Christmas 2014, Andi took Lexi Lee directly to Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow.

The mum believed it would be a quick visit - but Lexi Lee would remain in hospital for months.

Andi said: "We went back and forward to the GP but there was always something to explain her symptoms.

"I knew it wasn't constipation because she was fine that way. One day I was so fed up I took her directly to hospital myself.

"I thought we would go and come back but they wanted to keep Lexi Lee in - and that was her for the next few months.

"It was a really stressful time but I had great support from my partner and our families helped to get us back and forward to the hospital.

"But it was really hard."

Fewer than 100 children in the UK are diagnosed each year with neuroblastoma and the tumours can develop anywhere in the body.

Lexi Lee was given chemotherapy but she was not suitable for surgery.

Andi added: "They were trying to come up with a plan for Lexi Lee's treatment but she passed away two or three weeks after coming off her chemo.

"There wasn't really anything else the doctors could do."

Following the death of her daughter, on May 3, 2015, Andi decided to train to be a nursery practitioner and started working at Cardonald Private Nursery.

Andi, from Drumoyne, said: "Afterwards people said they didn't want to bring their kids round me but that didn't upset me.

"But I didn't mind. Whether I saw children or not, it was not going to change anything.

"I have been fine in the nursery. I've had my mornings where things have been hard.

"But it helps me to look after other people's children when I can't look after my own."

Impressed by Andi's bravery and keen to support other children like Lexi Lee, the nursery is today fundraising for Glasgow Children's Hospital Charity's Schiehallion Appeal.

Money raised will go to the specialist ward for children with cancer.

Earlier this week, nursery pupils were taken on a day trip to the hospital so they could see the work of doctors and find out more about where their funds would go.

Children had the chance to help out in the teddy bear's hospital and took a tour of the building.

Today, as well as dressing in purple and turning the nursery purple, two dads will be sponsored to wax their legs - with one also shaving his head.

Events will run throughout the day as staff try to raise as much cash as possible in memory of Lexi Lee.

Nursery practitioner Shelbi Sweeney, who is helping organise the fundraising day, said: "Our nursery does a lot for charity but when we heard about the children's hospital's Schiehallion Appeal we felt this was something we had to do for Andi.

"We've taken the idea of the Go Purple day and built on it so we have a lot more happening throughout the day.

"Andi was really touched by it all and we want to help in any way we can."