Meet Monty’s friend
Alex Williams contracted meningococcal meningitis and septicaemia when he was 7 years old. After a lengthy stay in hospital Alex has been left with disabling after-effects. As a result of the septicaemia he has drop-foot and muscle problems in his legs which means that he can walk unaided for some of the time but tires easily and needs to use a wheelchairs in the afternoons at school. As a result of the meningitis Alex now has some learning difficulties and finds it hard to concentrate, his memory has also been affected. It is almost five years since Alex was in hospital but he is now loosing his hearing, so constantly he and his family are facing new challenges at home and in school.
Many people will experience a wide range of less debilitating but serious after-effects. What ever the after-effect, mild or severe, meningitis can change a persons life forever.
If you have experienced meningitis within your family we are here to help, please call our 24 Hour Nurse-led helpline 0800 028 18 28 for more information about our services and how you can access them. We are her to provide support for life.
Alex's mum, Alison in her own words:
After Alex had meningitis and septicaemia, life was different for all the family. When the time came for Alex to start secondary school we were all very apprehensive. Alex had lots of special needs that would need addressing when we looked around Egerton Park we were really pleased, and could see that his needs would be met. Alex hates his new disabilities and wanted to know that everything was already in place to accommodate him, and not specially adapted.
At Egerton Park children with and without special needs learn alongside each other. Every classroom has low tables for wheelchair users, low cooking facilities and work benches so all activities are available to all. Physiotherapists, occupational therapists and speech therapists are all on hand to assist when needed.
The school aims to make pupils as independent as possible and they have given Alex a new lease of life. As parents we would recommend that others in our situation follow the needs of their child, and request that they can access such facilities as those at Egerton Park, who are fantastic with every special child. Alex is now playing wheelchair basketball for the under 15s North West team, there is life after meningitis!
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