Emily and Robbie

 Sandie, Sam and Jess will be starting their fundraising by running the Middlesbrough 10K on 8th September 2013. 

On 8th July last year Emily was taken by ambulance to North Tees Hospital very much disorientated, unable to speak, use her right arm or walk.

Emily had an urgent MRI scan and it became apparent that Emily had suffered a Stroke.

Emily was rushed up to the Great North Children’s Hospital at the RVI in Newcastle.

Emily’s Stroke affected two parts of her brain – the front top left and deep within her brain – the consequences being right side paralysis affecting her right hand, and resulting in an inability to walk, and her speech, reading, writing and understanding.

One week after admission to the RVI Emily suffered another setback when the cause of the Stroke returned. Emily was diagnosed as suffering from Central Nervous System Vasculitis - a very rare condition where the immune system attacks the Central Nervous System (the brain and spinal cord) resulting in swelling, and ultimately blockage, of the blood vessels. Emily had a second episode that required an Emergency Decompressive Craniotomy (removal of part of the skull) to release the build up of pressure in her brain.    

Emily spent 3 months at the RVI and during this time Emily learned to walk again and was even able to re-gain speech, being able to say a few words. Emily is a happy girl, back at school, and doing many of the things pre-teen girls enjoy doing, including a love of Justin Beiber, One Direction and her new Ipad.

Emily is receiving additional speech therapy to help with her Aphasia and she was recently diagnosed as potentially benefitting from the use of two medical devices to help restore proper function to her right arm and leg. However, the cost of the two devices is £6,500 and NHS funding uncertain.

Robbie is a 6 year old little boy who aged 22 months was the sufferer of Meningitis,  due to the extent of the infection he sadly lost both of his legs.  He now needs prosthetic legs which need replacing regularly due to him growing.  He is an active, happy little boy who has recently discovered the place he gets his prosthetic limbs fitted has been closed.  He now needs to travel extensively to ensure he has good fitting legs which give him the opportunity to lead a normal life.  He has a very supportive family and fantastic older sister who support him as much as they can but need as much financial support to allow him to travel with his family to have new fittings regularly.

The money raised will be split equally between these two worthwhile children.