Cerebral palsy wins £15million payout from NHS
Child model with
A GIRL of 12 with cerebral palsy who appears in TV adverts has won more than £15million in NHS compensation for the injuries she suffered at birth.
Holly Greenhow’s brain was starved of oxygen for 35 minutes at Hinchingbrooke Hospital in Cambridgeshire. As a result, Holly – who has modelled for Tesco – needs round-the-clock care.
Her family, from Huntingdon, sued Hinchingbrooke Anglia Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, which agreed to settle.
Yesterday the High Court awarded Holly a £6.4million lump sum, with annual payments expected to take the total compensation to more than £15million over her lifetime.
Holly’s mother Fiona Greenhow, 46, said afterwards: ‘It is a good feeling to know that Holly will be financially secure in the future and her brother will not have to feel responsible to look after her. Albeit we are delighted with the award, it has taken a lot of time and emotional energy to get to this point.
‘No amount of money or apology will ever bring back what we should have had with Holly.
‘It has changed all of our lives and there isn’t a day that goes by that I do not regret what happened
‘She’s incredibly strong-willed’
the day she was born.’ The annual payments, agreed on the basis of 75 per cent liability, will start at £110,000 a year and rise to £200,000 a year.
Lawyers said outside court that the compensation package has a lifetime value of £15,480,000.
Holly’s injuries left her with severe physical disabilities. She is unable to walk and cannot control her limbs. Until recently, she could barely talk.
Despite this, she has become a model, working for brands such as Tesco and Boden.
Last year the family paid £10,000 for her to have pioneering stemcell treatment in California. They plan to return as it has improved her vision and the quality of her sleep, expanded her vocabulary and given her more control over her muscles.
Alex Antelme QC, for the NHS trust, praised the ‘incredible commitment and care’ which her mother, father Paul, 50, and brother Oliver, 14 have provided. Holly, who started modelling at eight, has now signed to an agency established to support children and adults with disabilities.
Mrs Greenhow, a trade manager for Tesco, hopes that, with professional care, Holly will be able to live independently when she grows up and lead a ‘fulfilled’ life.
‘She is a very sociable little girl and can light up any room with her smile and infectious laugh. At the same time she is incredibly strong-willed,’ she said.
‘As technology develops, I hope her future means she will not be trapped in her own body so that she can communicate freely which might encourage more people to want to connect with her.’