A MOTHER whose 24-year-old son died of a chronic kidney illness today pledged to donate cash raised at his funeral to the Evening Press's Guardian Angels campaign.

Julie Meier saw her son, David, lose his fight for life after suffering for 13 years with his condition and enduring two failed kidney transplants.

At his funeral at Acomb Methodist Church last September, the family raised more than £250 in donations.

The money will go towards the £300,000 fundraising campaign to pay for two high-dependency units for children at York Hospital.

David, a former pupil of Archbishop Holgate's School, in York, endured years of kidney dialysis, steroid treatment, and two failed transplants after being diagnosed with Henoch-Schnlein purpura when he was 11 years old.

He was diagnosed with the rare illness, which caused spots and blisters on his legs, soon after leaving Osbaldwick Primary School.

Julie, of Acomb Park, York, said: "We get the Evening Press every night, and I have been reading about the campaign. He was in York Hospital when he was nine months old and later, when he was at school and the spots on his legs started, for about a month. I think he would have approved of the donation because he has been in there and was treated well."

Julie and her husband, Michael, spent their first Christmas without their son, who died on September 16. The family visited David's grave at Fulford Cemetery on Christmas Eve.

"It was a difficult Christmas," Julie said.

"It was very bad, but we all went to my son's house. Everybody helped us. They have all been very good for us and our friends really did help.

"Somehow we managed to get through it because we were just dreading it. There is nothing worse than losing your own child."

Despite his illness, David followed his dream of becoming a children's art teacher after graduating in art and design at York College.In 2002, he started a design management course at Nottingham University.

He led a full student life until doctors discovered his kidney had failed in November 2004.

Updated: 10:34 Monday, January 09, 2006