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Doc Martin meets Marshall to launch new initiative

24.02.10 

CORNWALL'S most famous fictional doctor has urged schools throughout the region to support a new meningitis fundraising and awareness campaign.

Martin Clunes, otherwise known as Doc Martin from the hit ITV series, made a special visit to Truro to meet courageous meningitis survivor Marshall Janson.

The actor is urging schools across Cornwall to take part in Colour My Friday - a unique and fun non-uniform day to raise money for The Handstand Appeal and Meningitis UK, and to raise awareness about the dangers of meningitis.

Marshall fell ill with meningitis on Boxing Day 2008, shortly after his first birthday. While he escaped brain damage, septicaemia caused irreversible damage to his small body and led to both his hands and legs being amputated to save his life.

The Handstand Appeal, set up to fund a lifetime of rehabilitation and new prosthetic limbs for the youngster, has joined forces with national charity Meningitis UK.

All money raised by schools throughout the Colour My Friday initiative will be split between helping Marshall and funding research to help find a vaccine to spare other children having to face a similar challenge in the future.

Martin, who lost his own grandmother to the deadly disease, launched Colour My Friday from Bosvigo School in Truro.

He said: "Marshall's a very courageous little boy and it was an honour to meet him. I'm amazed at how resilient he's been.

"Meningitis is a rotten disease which resonates with my own family. It's great to be able to lend a hand, both to improve Marshall's future and help find a vaccine to protect people in the future.

"It sounds like a fantastic fundraising event for schools to take part in and hopefully schools will get behind it."

Colour My Friday has been designed to brighten up the spring months for both primary and secondary schools, with pupils being allowed to dress in their most dazzling and colourful clothes in return for a donation.

Schools can pick a Friday of their choice between now and the end of May.

Marshall's mum Stephanie, from Carharrack, near Redruth, said: "It was wonderful to meet Martin and having his support means so much to us.

"We are only too well aware what a devastating disease meningitis can be. While our priority is to raise funds to help Marshall we feel an obligation to help raise awareness too.

"We are so pleased to be involved with Meningitis UK in this joint campaign. If we can help, in some small way, prevent what happened to Marshall happening to someone else, we would be absolutely thrilled."

Children under five are most at-risk from the killer disease, followed by teenagers and students.

Meningitis UK says the close confines of a classroom put youngsters more at risk from the brain bug, which means youngsters and their parents need to be extra vigilant to the symptoms.

Kate Rowland, Head of Development at Meningitis UK, said: "We're really grateful to Martin for his support, which will hopefully raise the profile of the event and encourage schools to take part.

"What happened to Marshall sadly illustrates the speed at which meningitis can strike and the devastation it causes.

"With the support of schools throughout Cornwall, we hope Colour My Friday will raise valuable funds to not only help Marshall in the future but also take us one step closer to finding a vaccine to eradicate meningitis completely and prevent future heartache."

To register and receive a free resource pack, schools should contact Laura Murray on 0117 373 7373 or email lauramurray@meningitisuk.org. Further information is available from www.meningitisuk.org.