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Tea party to mark tragic Liam's birthday

19.04.11

A GRIEVING Luton mum is hosting a charity tea party and barbeque to mark what would have been her son's 16th birthday.

Melanie Allen is preparing for 50 guests at her Hayes Close home tomorrow, when they will be raising money for Meningitis UK in memory of her son Liam.

The bright and caring 14-year-old died suddenly from the deadly disease in November 2009 and Melanie now wants to mark his landmark birthday by doing something positive.

The 40-year-old said: "A couple of Liam's friends are coming so it will be lovely to catch-up with them and have the sort of day he would've wanted us to.

"We're planning a tea party and barbeque, with a big tent just in case it rains. There's a lot of interest in the raffle and we're hopeful of raising hundreds of pounds for Meningitis UK and its vaccine research work.

"He was such a giving boy, so caring. I know he would have done the same for me."

Liam, who was a Year 10 pupil at Beaumont School in St Albans, died from the rare Y strain of meningitis.

Melanie remembered how he had been sick on the Friday and Saturday but felt better on Sunday, despite still having a temperature.

On Monday morning he said he felt well enough to go to school but Melanie was still worried and insisted that he stayed at home.

She said: "At around 9.30am he started to complain that he felt sick and had a headache. I called the doctor but he never turned up.

"After two hours Liam's headache was ridiculous and he had become disorientated. I knew something was seriously wrong and called for an ambulance.

"They thought he had been drinking, which made me really angry. They didn't seem to take me seriously and it took one-and-a-half-hours to get Liam into hospital.

"When we arrived he was still conscious and talking to me. I had no idea this would be the last time I saw him alive."

Doctors informed Melanie a few hours later that they had put Liam into a coma to reduce the swelling in his brain.

He was transferred to Great Ormond Street Hospital, where they confirmed he had meningitis the following day.

Melanie added: "A brain scan confirmed that there was no hope. I think he had died at around 4pm on the Monday but machines were keeping him alive.

"I had to make the decision to switch his life support machine off. It was horrendous. He didn't deserve to die so young.

"He was such a lovely lad, always so talkative and with a large personality. I couldn't believe had died so suddenly, which is why funding vaccine research matters so much – we need to help save people from this dreadful disease in the future."

Liam's sudden and devastating death has prompted his family to set up a tribute fund in his memory to raise money for Meningitis UK. To make a donation online, visit www.meningitisuk.tributefunds.com and search for Liam Woods.

A second fundraising day has been organised for May 20 at Barclays Bank in Stockley Village, when members of the public can buy raffle tickets to be in with a chance of winning tickets to see a Luton Town match, amongst other prizes.

All the money raised will go towards Meningitis UK's Search 4 a Vaccine Campaign, which aims to raise £7million to fund vital research into developing a vaccine against all forms of meningitis.

Steve Dayman, who founded Meningitis UK after his son Spencer died from the disease, will also be attending Melanie's event on Wednesday.

He said: "Melanie and her family's efforts in memory of Liam are really remarkable and we wish them every success with their tea party and barbeque, which sounds like a special way to mark a special occasion.

"What happened to Liam sadly illustrates the speed at which meningitis can strike, with very few symptoms to distinguish the disease from more common illnesses.

"The devastation experienced by his family reinforces the importance of finding a vaccine sooner rather than later.

"Every penny they raise will go towards this single focus and our ultimate goal to spare people the heartache of losing a loved one to meningitis."