From Our Hearts to Yours
In this blog, Kirsty Maguire tells us why their chosen charity is especially close to her family's hearts. With our sincere thanks to Kirsty for sharing her story and for opening their parents in law Susan and Sandy’s garden, Tarmangie, in support of Crossbasket House, to raise funds so that more families like Kirsty’s can be held, housed, and helped through their hardest moments.
Tarmangie garden is open Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 June, 10am - 6pm, Glendevon, Dollar FK14 7JY.
At our 20-week scan, we expected to see our baby boy wriggling away on the screen, maybe catch a glimpse of his little feet or profile. Instead, we were told something that would change our lives forever. Our son was diagnosed with a rare congenital heart defect called Transposition of the Great Arteries (TGA), a condition where the two main arteries carrying blood out of the heart are switched. It meant that, unless he had open-heart surgery within the first few weeks of life, he wouldn’t survive.
We were devastated. Living in Edinburgh, we were told we would need to give birth in Glasgow, far from home, family and everything familiar. It was an overwhelming thought, navigating the most terrifying time of our lives in a different city, unsure where we’d stay, or how we’d manage.
And then, a miracle of sorts: we were offered a room at Crossbasket House (formerly Ronald McDonald House Glasgow), just a five-minute walk from the hospital.
It became our sanctuary.
Our days were spent at our baby’s bedside in intensive care, surrounded by monitors, wires, and uncertainty. But every night, we returned to Crossbasket House. It was a warm, welcoming place that allowed us to rest, breathe, and gather the strength we needed to face each new day.
It wasn’t just a room...it was a home.
We had a private en-suite bedroom, access to kitchenettes to cook our own meals, a place to wash and dry our clothes, and even feeding rooms and snack stations. It was everything we needed, offered freely, and without expectation, so we could focus entirely on our son.
The staff and volunteers created a space of calm and kindness, and the other families staying there became quiet companions in the most vulnerable chapter of our lives. Being just steps away from the hospital made all the difference, we never had to choose between rest and being close to our baby.
Now, we are at home with our happy and healthy son and we want to give back.
That’s why we’re opening our garden to raise funds for Crossbasket House, so that more families like ours can be held, housed, and helped through their hardest moments.
Throughout this time, we were held not just by Crossbasket House, but also by our family. Susan and Sandy, my husband’s parents, supported us in every way imaginable. Their love carried us through the hardest year of our lives.
And now, they are opening their garden to raise funds for the house that held us when we needed it most.
We are so grateful for their generosity, and we’d love to invite our local community to be part of this special day.
We warmly invite you to join us for our Garden Open Day, where we’ll be opening up our space to the local community in honour of this incredible charity. Come along, enjoy a wander through the garden, some tea and cake, and help us raise funds for a place that has meant the world to us.
Thank you for reading, and thank you for helping us make a difference.
Tarmangie garden is open Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 June, 10am - 6pm, Glendevon, Dollar FK14 7JY.
