Alexander Redden needed to go for an x-ray and check-up after he was unwell last summer, to make sure everything had settled down. And the youngster – with help from mum Louise and granny Rebecca – arrived for his appointment in a surgeon’s costume, to the delight of NHS staff.
Mum Louise told the Dumfries Courier: “Alexander needed to go to have an x-ray and check-up in May. The only problem was, due to Covid-19 we haven’t been out of the house since mid-March as we were self-isolating before lockdown due to my ill health, which meant that the only footwear Alexander had been using were his wellies and garden shoes. A few days before his appointment it suddenly dawned on me that he had no shoes to wear to go to the hospital and there was no time to order any.
“As it looked as though Crocs would be our only choice I remembered that last Halloween this had been the exact footwear he wore with his surgeon’s costume and that it could actually be a really fun idea to bring out the costume again.”
She added: “Then not only would he look the part, it would make him feel better about wearing a mask as we were going to make sure we were being very careful and reducing the risk of catching/spreading Covid-19, and also put a few smiles on people’s faces on the day of his appointment. Luckily when we tried the scrubs on, they still fit him.”
Grandmother Rebecca helped make Alexander’s mini scrubs and did an incredible job measuring, drawing, cutting, sewing and even made a scrub cap ensuring it matched as closely to the real deal as possible. When Alexander, from Gatehouse of Fleet, walked through the hospital in his scrubs, a number of staff and patients stopped to praise him. Louise said: “He seemed to enjoy his day out and waved to many of the people he saw. On his way out, one doctor shouted “hey you are supposed to be helping me in the theatre. When I showed photos to the renal nurses they said I should share them online for all the staff to see and thought it was a good idea to cheer them up during this strange time.
“After posting the video online it has received a number of positive comments from workers, with one suggesting Alexander should be on the payroll and others saying he is a superstar and has made them smile.”
