Little Lauren Cosgrove was given just months to live by doctors after she was born at just 27 weeks.

Lauren has endured years of operations and hospital stays, with one visit in 2013 lasting seven months.

She is fed by two methods of artificial nutrition as she is unable to properly digest food and drink.

Parenternal nutrition sees a line injected into one of the main arteries of her heart which can feed fluids directly into her blood stream.

The other method, which is called enternal nutrition, sees another line passed through her belly button and into her stomach.

This means the St John’s Primary School pupil needs to carry around a heavy backpack, holding liquid nutrients and machines that pump the fluids into her body.

But despite all this, she has set up her own charity.

Laura Patterson, her proud mum said: “She’s a very brave girl and I am so proud of her, we all are.” The charity will generate a fund for families and children, which will be looked after by Yorkhill Children’s Hospital.

The money can be used to cover hospital expenses and other unforeseen expenses incurred by long stays, as well as offering advice and help to families who are going through the experience for the first time.

It also allows the purchase of specialist swimsuits for children with Lauren’s condition.

She is also a former Barrhead News Reader’s Community Champion, and current East Renfrewshire Citizen of the Year.

From everyone at The News, happy birthday Lauren For more information, visit Lauren’s Facebook at www.facebook.com/lauren.cosgrove.