Hello and welcome to my fund rising page. This July I will be doing a 5K walk from Hyde Park to St.Mary’s hospital in Paddington to help raise funds for COSMIC who supported me and my family when I was ill in 2004 with meningitis. I will be joined on the walk by my close family and friends. Anyone wishing to take park in the event can do so by visiting:

http://www.cosmiccharity.com/EventDetails.aspx?EventId=82

 

Here’s my story.

Harvey,5

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Harvey-James is the youngest of our children after sister Luice-Jade(13) and brother Jordan-Lee(11). As a family we have never experienced more than coughs and colds, so Harvey’s illness came as a major shock to us, and our family and friends.

On 29^th January 2004, Harvey woke up a bit miserable and did not seem his normal chirpy self. As he was teething at the time, we thought it might be related to that. He seemed quiet throughout the day and by bedtime was refusing his feed. We felt uneasy with this and were beginning to worry, so my wife Joanne took him to the doctor. Meanwhile he had started to retch as if he wanted to be sick.

The doctor thought he might have a chest infection, so sent to our local hospital in Milton Keynes for a chest x-ray. Although the test were clear, the vigilant staff at MK General suspected that something more serious might be wrong and kept Harvey in for observation. This was when Joanne noticed a tiny red spot on Harvey’s body. As she described it at the time, more and more red spots kept appearing like something out of a horror film. The doctors quickly gave him antibiotics as a precaution, but soon afterwards our ten-month old son was surrounded by doctors and nurses battling to save his life as meningitis ravaged his tiny body. The team from St Mary’s Hospital Paddington arrived and we realised that our son was in good hands.

We were advised not to follow the ambulance that transferred Harvey to St Mary’s, so we arrived an hour or so after he did. What we felt when we entered the PICU ward was something we cannot now put into words, but once we had met the staff-doctors, nurses and the COSMIC team- we were sure our son was in the best possible place. The time, effort and care that the PICU & COSMIC team put into explaining what was happening to Harvey is something the we shall always remember and appreciate. Harvey spent two weeks on PICU, during which time we were kept fully up-to-date on any changes and developments in his condition. It was then that we learned that Harvey could lose parts of his hands and feet, depending on how the disease progressed. Again, with the support of the staff, we were able to deal with this. We will never forget-on the doctors advice-massaging Harvey’s hands and feet with oils to reduce the risk of amputation.

We spent the best part of two weeks at Harvey’s bedside, but were never once made to feel in the way by the staff there

 

Once Harvey’s condition had improved, he was moved next door to Grand Union Ward. Again, the staff were great like those on PICU, and Harvey’s recovery really got underway. Seeing him being weaned off the drugs that had been keeping him alive made us very anxious, but, after trips back to MK General and back again to St Mary’s, Harvey was finally transferred to Stoke Hospital in Aylesbury, where his recovery continued. After surgery to remove parts of his feet and fingers, out ‘Little Star’ came home for good in late July and is now back to being the lovable cheeky little boy he was before the spectre of meningitis entered our lives.

 

Harvey continues to defy the odds in his life and as a family we were as proud as anything as we watched him collect a gold medal in April 2007 after competing in a gymnastics competion.

Many thanks to those who have sponsored and supported in the past, It’s very much appreciated and WILL make a difference to this Children’s Charity

 

Mark & Family

Donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. It’s also the most efficient way to sponsor me: COSMIC (Children Of St Mary's Intensive Care) gets your money faster and, if you’re a UK taxpayer, Justgiving makes sure 25% in Gift Aid, plus a 3% supplement, are added to your donation.

So please sponsor me now!