Oliver’s brave battle against meningitis spurs family on
01.03.11
CIRENCESTER dad James Cleaver will be running for a cause close to his heart after meningitis left his son battling for his life.
Little Oliver was just seven months old when he was struck down by the most deadly strain of the disease in September.
Thankfully he defied the odds and has inspired 36-year-old James to run the Bath Half Marathon on March 6 for Meningitis UK.
He's also running the 13.3 mile route with his sister Marie, from Chippenham, to raise hundreds of pounds towards vaccine research to protect people from meningitis in the future.
James said: "We know that we've been very lucky that Oliver not only survived but has been left with no after-affects.
"He was treated just in time and, although we were warned he could be left brain damaged, thankfully appears to be a perfectly normal one-year-old now.
"We want to give something back, which is why we chose to run the Bath Half Marathon. A couple of hours of pain will be well worth it."
He recalled how Claire, his wife, took Oliver to the GP after he became unwell one afternoon with a high temperature and sickness.
With Oliver continuing to be ill throughout the night, the vigilant parents decided to take Oliver back to the doctor first thing in the morning.
James said: "She told us to get him straight to Cheltenham Hospital and we were there by 9.30am. They suspected meningitis and gave him antibiotics straightaway.
"They stabilised Oliver and blue-lighted him across to Gloucester Royal Hospital. I think it was then that we realised how seriously ill he was."
It was confirmed that Oliver had pneumococcal meningitis, which causes death for one in six people who contract it and over half of survivors will be left with severe disabilities such as deafness, brain damage and seizures.
Claire and James were told that Oliver's life had been saved but no one was able to say what after-affects he would be left with.
James explained: "There were four or five days when Oliver was unresponsive so we were unsure about any brain damage. It was a waiting game really so when we got a smile out of him a few days later it was quite a milestone.
"He got better from then onwards and was allowed home after three long weeks in hospital."
Oliver began to crawl just before Christmas and the family's relief was compounded when the consultant gave him the all-clear in January.
While there is a vaccine for pneumococcal meningitis, it does not cover all strains – including the one which affected Oliver.
All money raised through James and Marie's Bath Half Marathon efforts will go towards Meningitis UK's Search 4 a Vaccine Campaign, which aims to make £7million to fund vital research into developing a vaccine against all forms of meningitis.
They will be part of the Meningitis Musketeers team, with the motto 'All 4 One and One 4 All' – to highlight the devastating fact that meningitis can kill in under four hours.
Meningitis UK's Chief Executive Steve Dayman said "James and Marie's running efforts are really remarkable. What happened to Oliver shows how quickly meningitis can strike and with little warning, which highlights the importance of finding a vaccine for all forms of this dreadful disease.
"We're very thankful to all our Meningitis Musketeers for taking part in the Bath Half Marathon and we hope they enjoy what should be a great day.
"Every penny raised will go towards our single focus – to find a vaccine to eradicate meningitis. Continued support from the public is so important in enabling us to continue our vital work.
"Our ultimate goal is to spare people the heartache thousands of families have suffered by losing a loved one to meningitis."
To sponsor Oliver's family, please visit: www.justgiving.com/Marie-Cleaver
For more information on meningitis, or to support Meningitis UK's Search 4 a Vaccine Campaign, please call 0117 373 73 73 or visit www.meningitisuk.org.
MeningitisUK · Registered Charity No.1076774
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