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As some of you may know…I’m really not a fan of running at all…I like squatting…lunging…jumping…planking…but not running…however… just 12 weeks ago I started to train for my one and only attempt at a Marathon…it has been mentally and physically punishing and I’m not there yet…but I always had a thought in my mind that some greater good should come from all this…and it is for this reason I have decided to run the Manchester Marathon in memory of the 2 and a half year old daughter of one of my class participants who we sadly lost just before Christmas to meningitis.

Please read this story.

On the morning of the 31st January 2009, our 4 year old son, Michael, was taken to hospital, as he had been poorly with a temperature and vomiting the day before, he was examined by doctor and we were told it was a viral illness, and told to "let it run it's cause", from leaving hospital mid morning, and travelling  2 miles home, Michael had deteriorated dramatically, he was very pale, vomiting, and lethargic, we rushed him straight back up to children’s ward, and he was immediately taken into high dependency unit, he spent that night fighting for his life, and never woke for three days, we were told (once lumbar puncture and blood tests had come back) that it was meningitis type B and septicemia, our son michael aged 4 years, made a full recovery with no side affects, I wish we could say the same for our daughter, Patsy, Michaels sister, please read on !

On the morning of Sunday 15th December 2013, our 2 years and 7 month old daughter Patsy Rewcastle (Michaels sister) had been vomiting at around 04.00am in morning, we took Patsy to hospital at 7.00am, (the same hospital we had taken Michael in 2009) and was seen by nurse at first, then was admitted to same children ward that Michael was in, with a temperature of 40 degrees, they had carried out a water sample, and when results came back, they confirmed Patsy had a water infection, to which they prescribed antibiotics, we left hospital at 13.00pm on Sunday afternoon, drove home again 2 miles away, Patsy had temperature all night, and was also sick a few times, we rang up hospital, 4 times that night, and they told us that there was nothing that they could do, and to let antibiotics get a chance to get into her system.

On Monday 16th December 2013 we rang children’s ward as she had deteriorated just like michael, her hands and feet were cold, she was pale in colour, we were told again, there’s nothing they could do, which we replied, "we are bringing our daughter back up regardless of what you say". We took Patsy back to ward 20 and waited 1hour 20 minutes to be seen, myself (Patsy’s father) and her mother were constantly asking "when are we going to be seen" as her hands and feet were still very cold, we are well versed in  identifying the symptoms of meningitis and septicemia (due to Michael) and we were getting very worried regarding how long we waited, after one and a half hours Patsy was seen by a sister, and then a consultant, who says Patsy needs immediate treatment in high dependency unit, I carried my little princess into same room, same day, more or less same time, as we did her brother Michael in 2009, it was history repeating itself, our little daughter was fighting for her life, but only this time, it was a lot more serious than we thought, she had contracted a very rare strain of meningitis called W135 and also septicemia, it had attacked her little body, affecting the functioning of her kidneys and her heart, an intensive care team tried to carry out a blood transfusion, but her heart stopped, Michael Snr ( her father ) and Elexis ( her mother ) were in the room when our little angel passed away......

We are absolutely devastated, Patsy completed our home, our family, she was, along with her brother Michael (now 9 years) our life, we still cant process what’s actually happened, I looked online to order her first bike just before Christmas, then instead, had to order her baby pink coffin, my god, life’s so beautiful in some ways, but yet so cruel in others.

We are, along with many friends and family, running in this years great north run 2014 in memory of Patsy, to raise funds for Meningitis research foundation, please donate what you can, as people need to be aware how deadly this disease is, we are going to do what we can, so that other family’s don't have to go through this living hell. 

Can I say, that there is some beautiful people in this world, I've found that out first hand, and a note for parents, trust your intuition, you know your children better than anyone, if you feel the slightest bit unsure about your child’s condition, don't hesitate for a second, as they say "meningitis is a race against time" its not always about the rash/tumbler test, both my kids never had a rash.

And finally from me…you Bunny…If every person I know or have met throughout my career within the fitness industry and along my lifes journey donates just £1…together we will make an incredible difference and show a lot of love and support to a very beautiful family…thank you xxx

 

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