A HARDGATE mum credits "believing" with saving her son twice from death.

Now she's hoping belief will get her through a different type of challenge - the Tough Mudder race this weekend.

Tracey Farquharson twice had to say final goodbyes to little Aaron but thanks to expert care and a fighting spirit, he will turn four in September.

Diagnosed with Downs Syndrome, Aaron spent months at the then Yorkhill Children’s Hospital - now the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Glasgow - when he became ill.

But he’s home and growing up with his family and 33-year-old Tracey wanted to say thank you to his medical supporters by facing down the gruelling challenge with seven co-workers as a team effort.

The most Tracey did before was a 10k - but the Tough Mudder is no 10K. It’s 10-12 miles of obstacles such as live wires hanging over you and, as it says on the tin, it’s in the mud.

“I have been training really hard and went back to taekwando and have done a lot of running and trying to get back my fitness levels,” she admitted.

“I hadn’t done any training since I had my kids.”

Aaron first went to A&E in December 2013, his parents saying their goodbyes days later. And then nine days later, he started to recover.

The next December, he was back in hospital, admitted to ICU on Christmas Day and later put on life support. But again, he fought back.

In a YouTube video about Aaron’s journey, his battles are captured in photos of a smiling little boy who kept a brave face even when hooked up to machines and struggling to survive.

“By all medical odds, he should not be here. It was phenomenal what he came through,” said Tracey. “He is so strong and brace and such a lovely little boy and a pleasure to be around.

“We genuinely thought we would never see him alive again.

“There are no words to describe how painful that is. We are so grateful that he made it. I can’t imagine life without Aaron.”

Tracey said the medical care for Aaron also opened her to a whole community that has made her life better, of families with children with additional needs.

Aaron recently came off the last of his medication and there have been no hospital admissions in a year. Currently attending Auchnacraig nursery, the family are starting to look ahead to his schooling.

Tracey said: “I was a mess when we first thought we would lose Aaron. And a senior consulted came in a spoke to me and said you just need to believe.

“I took a selfie with ‘I believe’ and this group formed around ‘I believe’. Miracles do happen.”

So far, Tracey and her colleagues have easily blown their £1,000 target with £1,700 to date but want to raise even more. Team Aaron have collected almost £10,000 across all their charity efforts.

To support Tracey taking on Tough Mudder, look up “believeinaaron” on Facebook, visit www.justgiving.com/teamaaron2016 or text MUD173 to 70070.