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"It's every parent's worse nightmare," the parents of
9 month old Anya Snow said of their Christmas ordeal.
Anya had been with her grandmother in Scunthorpe town centre when she suddenly fell ill.
She lapsed into unconsciousness and turned blue and, thanks to the quick thinking of
her grandmother, was rushed into Scunthorpe General Hospital. When doctors managed to
bring Anya round, she was vomiting, feverish, and had developed a body rash.
Paul and Claire, Anya's parents, rushed to their daughter's side, and were relieved to
be informed that their baby did not, as everyone had feared, have Meningitis.
Thirty minutes later, Paul rang his family to say that now, the terrible disease
had actually developed. The virus can be carried by anyone, and the fit
that Anya had experienced had triggered the disease.
The next 24 hours were critical.
By night time, Anya's condition had worsened, and she was admitted into Intensive Care
under the orders of consultant paediatrician Dr. Jim Devlin. Anya was suffering from
the Meningococcal B strain of the Meningitis virus, a strain which, as yet, has no vaccine.
Two days before Christmas Day (which is also her dad's birthday), after five days in hospital
and antibiotics treatment, Anya was allowed home.
She was given the all clear on Christmas Day itself, having her final injection then.
She could stay with her family; mum Claire, dad Paul, and four year old sister Alicia
Savannah.
Paul, a steelworker, said, "We cannot praise Dr. Devlin and the staff at Scunthorpe
Hospital enough for their efforts. We owe them an undying debt of gratitude."
The family are now launching their own fundraising campaign
on March 7th 2000 to coincide with Anya's first birthday.
