Elaine Begg has been in touch asking for the help of VB readers. She’s friends with a Ryde family who have a lot to thank Southampton General Hospital and the Wessex Children’s Neurosurgery Ward for. Ed
To celebrate Haydn’s 6th Birthday we are holding a sponsored bowlathon in aid of The Smile4Wessex Children’s Neurosciences Centre Appeal, a cause that is very close to our hearts.
Haydn was born with severe epilepsy and, when his first visible seizure happened at four months old, we couldn’t have known how much it would change our lives.
He spent most of his first two years of life in Southampton General Hospital. His first Christmas and New Year were spent in the children’s High Dependency Unit, closely followed by a stay in Paediatric Intensive Care where he was induced into a coma in attempt to stop the seizures.
80 seizures a day
At his worse he was averaging 80 seizures a day and was taking five different anti-epileptic medications. His development was being delayed and his life was at risk.
When he was just 14 months old he underwent radical surgery in a final attempt to stop the seizures and save his life. He became the youngest child in the country to undergo epilepsy surgery, which in itself had a 10% chance of death.
Further operations
Haydn had a large amount of the left side of his brain removed which caused right sided paralysis and led to him developing Hydrocephalus (fluid on the brain), which in itself required numerous operations and lengthy stays in The Wessex Children’s Neurosurgery ward.
Haydn has now been seizure free for over three years. In the last year he has learnt to walk and talk and, although he still has difficulties and has a long way to go, he is a very happy little boy with a bright future ahead of him.
None of this would be possible without the fantastic work of the team at Southampton General Hospital and the Wessex Children’s Neurosurgery Ward.
Without a doubt they make children’s lives brighter.
You can help by donating through Just Giving.
