‘Meningitis won’t leave me wallowing in self pity – I choose life’
ASOUTHPORT teacher is taking on a professional wrestler to raise funds – and awareness – to fight the disease that nearly took his life.
Dave Hemsley, 38, was laid low by pneumococcal meningitis two years ago.
But the head of science at Christ the King Catholic High School in Birkdale has refused to give in to the disease and is now training hard for the charity match in November as part of his ongoing recovery.
The fight will raise funds for national charity Meningitis Now, which supported him during his ordeal.
The father of one and former rugby player from Formby said he thought he had been kidnapped to have his organs harvested when he first woke up in hospital unable to speak or move.
He has since been told that if he had slept all night at home rather than being admitted to hospital he would have died, perhaps within the hour.
It was two years ago when Dave, his wife, Sarah, and young daughter, Holly, returned from holiday.
After a relaxing weekend he started to feel ill on the Monday.
He said: “I am an incredibly well person, having never missed a day of school or work through illness since at least the age of 11.
“I popped to the shops in the morning on Monday and around lunchtime I started having a headache.
“I decided to have a nap to feel better. I woke up later and began vomiting and felt extremely cold.
“Food poisoning no doubt, thought. I went back to sleep.
“Then I woke up in hospital unable to speak or move.
“I thought I had been kidnapped to have my organs harvested and vaguely recall trying to convince the doctors I was a doctor and knowing they were not telling me the truth!”
The quick action by Sarah in calling an ambulance saved his life.
“I have been told if I’d slept all night at home I would have died, perhaps I within the hour,” Dave said. “I was put into an induced coma on a ventilator for two days before they woke me, a terrible time for my family and friends.”
By the Thursday he was able to get out of bed with help, and by Friday was holding on to things to slowly walk around.
On the Saturday he moved to a ward and stayed there for the next nine days.
Dave said: “It took a slow and long four months to get back into work as a science teacher at Christmas on a phased return, which built up to a full timetable by Easter.
“I eventually took back my full role of head of science in September.
“My school, the staff and pupils were very supportive throughout the whole process.”
But the keen sportsman, who managed to start playing doubles tennis just before Christmas, became frustrated with his inability to get back to normal through the after-effects of the disease, and with his weight also going up through enforced inactivity.
“I decided to try and blow away the constant headaches and lethargy and push my boundaries, and began to run and consider aiming to play rugby before the end of the season.
“A great target for me to aim for came around in January – I signed up to do eight weeks’ wrestling training at Preston City Wrestling’s Training Academy and then have a wrestling match against a professional in November, 10 months away!
“I was confident this was doable and was assured by doctors I could do nothing to make my head worse in terms of my meningitis after-effects.
“I started wrestling training early, twice a week in June, to make sure I could indeed do it.”
Dave hopes to raise £1,000 for Meningitis Now from the match.
“I want a lot after all this effort!” he said. “Every day is a blessing I value.
“My daughter is now four and I would have not seen her develop into a lovely little girl.
“I also have had over 650 extra days with my wife and the ones I love, and hopefully many more.
“I’m not letting meningitis leave me wallowing in self-pity. I choose life.”
Tracey Lee, community fundraising manager at Meningitis Now, said: “What an amazing story, and what an amazing challenge Dave has set himself – we wish him well in his match.
“As a charity that receives no government funding we rely entirely on the generosity, energy and initiative of our supporters to raise the vital funds we need to carry out our lifesaving and life-changing work.
“His efforts will make a real difference to those who are at risk from meningitis and those whose lives have already been changed forever because of it.”
Meningitis Now is working towards a future where no-one in the UK loses their life to meningitis and everyone affected gets the support they need.
It funds research into vaccines and prevention; raises awareness so people know what to look for and what action to take if they suspect meningitis; and supports people living with the impact of the disease.
You can support Dave through his sponsorship page at www.justgiving. com/fundraising/dave-hemsley
For more details on the White Collar Wrestling event in Preston on November 18, visit www.facebook. com/events/485347908302525/