Team Preece Stuart Angela Will and Jake (Harry would love to but not old enough !) are all compeleting the Great Midlands Fun Run 8.5 miles of fun!!!!!!! We have all decided to that we want to help our very special friends the Smith Family and their son Jack who in his 10 years of life has seen more doctors, nurses and hospital's than most of us do in a lifetime.  Please read Jack's story and support us all by giving as much or little as you can.  Thankyou x

Jack was born a healthy baby boy but he collapsed one day aged 5 after a two day vomiting bug.  When he was assessed at our local A&E department we were told he was critically ill.  Jack had become so ill, so quickly that the Doctors were struggling to know what the problem was.  Jack was put into intensive care and we were told to prepare ourselves for the worse as the next 24 hours was vital.  Jack put up the fight of his life that night and gradually after eight weeks of intensive treatment he started to turn a corner.

 

After leaving Hospital Jack needed genetic testing to confirm a suspected mitochondrial disorder.  The results came back and Jack was diagnosed with Kearns Sayre Syndrome a mitochondrial disease which affects all the energy cells throughout his body.  Jack’s mitochondria do not function properly and as a result of this all the major organs in the body that require energy are affected i.e. heart, brain, kidneys, metabolism and eyes.

 

Jack is fighting hard to try and live a normal life but this is very hard as he faces such difficulties.  Jack’s disease makes him very tired and he only can manage part-time schooling at present.  Unfortunately he has had six Hospital admissions this year and the effects on his body are clear to see.  His speech has slowed down, he is experiencing learning difficulties, his balance and co-ordination are affected and he needs to be guided around when outside.  He is muscularly weak and very shaky and needs weekly physiotherapy.  He has eyesight problems and a degree of kidney failure.

 

On a positive note Jack never lets anything get him down and he is always cheerful and smiling taking everything in his stride.  Jack attends Great Ormond Street Hospital for the majority of his care which is outstanding.  We have raised £10,000 to date for the metabolic department who look after Jack.  We appreciate all the support from family and friends who have done fund raising and we are very grateful for any future donations received to help fund research into mitochondrial diseases. 

 

Thank you for taking the time to read about Jack; and for any donations you feel you can make.

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