On 15th August 2016, my 22-month old cousin Emerson Grant was mis-diagnosed with an arachnoid cyst on his spine, which resulted in him being paralysed with a spinal cord injury – Tetraplegia incomplete.

Emerson was rushed to St George’s hospital in Tooting, where he underwent an emergency MRI scan which showed the arachnoid cyst had grown so big that it was effecting his nerves in his spine and his bladder. The neurologist surgeon removed this, however not before Emerson lost the use of his lower body. If the cyst had been left any longer and untreated, Emerson would not be here today.
Emerson still has no feeling in the lower part of his body. He is now classed as disabled and will require many years of rehabilitation, it is unknown if Emerson will be able to walk again but the doctors are positive and say that there is a good chance of Emerson regaining his mobility, through physio therapy and the use of specialist equipment.
He is already able to move his arms and now is concentrating on working on his legs /lower trunk and bowel management, but this requires time, equipment, physio therapy and hydro therapy. Emerson will never gain 100% mobility back but we are not giving up and hope that he will take his first steps again and be able to walk up the stairs and run around kicking a ball and chasing bubbles with his sister and brother in the garden just like he used to.