"We wouldn’t be where we are today without Meningitis Now"
Thomas H, from Reading, tells us about his son’s diagnosis of bacterial meningitis when he was one year old.
“In March 2019, our son Max developed tonsillitis. After taking him to the GP he was prescribed antibiotics and painkillers to manage his symptoms, which we administered over the course of a week.
“At the end of that week it became clear that Max was not getting any better, and after having two fits at home he was rushed into A&E at the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading.
Intubated
“The team there quickly realised that something wasn't right. Max was intubated and transferred to the John Radcliffe Children's Hospital in Oxford, where he remained in paediatric intensive care for three days.
“Showing signs of recovery, Max was moved to a ward where he continued to recover, and he was then subsequently moved back to Reading. It was shortly after this second move that Max suffered a left thalamic stroke as a result of the illness, leaving him with hemiplegia, a form of cerebral palsy.
“We now know that Max has a genetic immune deficiency which was the root cause of him contracting meningitis. Looking back, we wonder whether this would have ever been picked up had he not become gravely ill. We are now able to mitigate against this with daily medication.
Zest for life
“Max is a happy, healthy boy with a zest for life. Meningitis has had an effect on him and will continue to do so for the rest of his life, but we are grateful that we now know Max's vulnerabilities and are able to better protect him as a result.
“Meningitis Now have supported our family through events like Family Day, the information on the website and via the Rebuilding Futures Fund. We got support for some therapy, which helped enormously with costs.”
“The charity has supported us since Max was diagnosed, and we wouldn’t be where we are today without them. I'm taking part in a team challenge to ride from John O'Groats to Lands' End in 7 days, covering over 800 miles, to say thank you for all the support.”
To support Thomas and his team mates’ efforts please visit his fundraising page.
