Mum’s Challenge to Raise Funds and Thank Children’s Burns Trust

Last September I decided to do the Bury 10k Run for the Children’s Burns Trust. I’ve never run before but I needed the challenge to focus on. I’m quite a private person but I’ve written this because it’s really important to me.  It’s kept me going so here is “My Story”.

On 22nd January 2015 my daughter Lois had an accident and suffered 10% burns to her body. Lois was only 7 months old. It is a day that I will never forget!

Lois was in hospital for 2 weeks and struggled to fight off infections. There was a horrible time when my family and I thought we would lose her. It’s been nearly three years since Lois’ accident and it’s been a long recovery. For the first 4 months my husband James, Lois and I visited Manchester Children’s Hospital 4 times a week, mostly early in the morning, having to change Lois’ dressings. We were told that it would be a difficult recovery but no one could have prepared us for the many hospital appointments, intense daily three hour treatments at home and the compression garments Lois had to wear 24 hours a day making changing nappies pretty difficult.

It’s been an emotional rollercoaster and a very lonely, frustrating and upsetting process.  I suffered PTSD from Lois’ accident and couldn’t sleep from the flash backs. Just hearing an ambulance would make me re-live the accident. I stopped going out, I didn’t trust myself and the guilt was horrendous. I lost who I was!

The hospital finally got me some help and my family were invited to the Family Weekend that the Children’s Burns Trust run in association with the Fire Fighters Charity in the Lake District. My family met other families and it helped us to cope with day to day life. I feel so privileged to have been invited by the charity as it was a real turning point. (I later found out that they pay for 6 families to attend these weekends 3 times a year). I’d like to give something back and did this run to raise money for them. Lois will also be invited to burns camps as she gets older to be around other children with disfigurements.

It has taken a long time to regain normality. I will always be sensitive to safety but it doesn’t control my life anymore. There is still a long road ahead for Lois but I know we can all get through it as a family.

I want to say thank you to my family, friends and my mum who never gave up on me and have always been there (you know who you are). A big thank you to Claudia, Amy and Emma who ran with me. Also a big thank you to everyone who helped with the training especially on those cold Saturday mornings and evenings. I couldn’t have done it without all of you.

Lois is a true fighter, to go through what she has at such a young age is remarkable. Lois is such a beautiful little girl inside and out and her special scar is just as beautiful. I love her so much.