Family raises almost £3,000 for charities close to their hearts
17.05.11
A FAMILY has raised almost £3,000 for two charities close to their hearts.
Little Mattia Sacca, of Dursley, was left fighting for his life at just four-months-old.
In January, his mother Aurelie Brunet-Lua knew something was seriously wrong with him when he had an unusually a high temperature.
Just hours later her mother's instinct was proved right when he was diagnosed with meningitis.
Mattia, who is now eight months old, is now a picture of health but Amelie and the rest of the family decided to start fundraising for other people who are affected by the illness.
They had a target of raising £1,500 but surpassed all expectations.
Aurelie, 29, said: "The hospital needed a life support machine so we set a target to raise £1,000 for the hospital unit that saved Mattia's life and £500 for Meningitis UK.
"But we have raised £2,285 and money is still coming in. it is a lot more than we expected."
£1,513 will go the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Bristol Royal Hospital for Children and the rest is going to Meningitis UK.
On April 8, staff and children at playgroup Co-operative Childcare in Cam, where the family's children go, donned their pyjamas to raise funds and Aurelie and friends went on a night out in their pyjamas in support of the cause.
Aurelie's husband Nick Sacca, 38, Mattia's twin brother Sean, and sister Amelie, three, also joined in with the events.
Amelie said: "A few business around Dursley really helped. A special thank you needs to go to Dursley Swimming Pool and Sports Centre, the Kings Head Pub, Dursley Diner, all our neighbours, colleagues and friends and a massive well done to the staff at Cooperative Childcare in Cam, without whom the night out would not have taken place."
Many of the businesses in the town also had wristbands on sale for the charity.
Aurelie added: "It is good to be able to give money to the hospitals but what is really needed is to find a way to prevent the disease.
"The money that goes to Meningitis UK goes towards research and hopefully finding a vaccine.
"Hopefully the money we raised will help others.
"After wearing our pyjamas we are trying to find another fun idea for the future to raise money but we are not sure what yet."
To find out more about the family's fundraising visit www.justgiving.com/camdursleypjday.
MeningitisUK · Registered Charity No.1076774
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