Nine-year-old walks 47 miles to help others

DANIEL WAS DETERMINED TO FINISH TO RAISE FUNDS FOR EPILEPSY

A NINE-YEAR-OLD diagnosed with epilepsy has completed a 47-mile fundraising challenge to help other children with the condition.

Daniel Stephens, from Denton Burn, Newcastle, first suffered a seizure in the early hours of October 13 last year.

Two hours later he suffered another huge seizure in hospital, with his family remaining in the Great North Children’s Hospital for just over a week, during which Daniel continued to have seizures. After an ECG and MRI scan Daniel was diagnosed with epilepsy.

Daniel’s mum Kayleigh Quittenton said: “It was a horrendous time, probably as a parent the worst time of my life and I only could think of the worst.

“Daniel, however, he was amazing, every nurse, doctor and consultant who met Daniel could not believe how brave he was, always smiling, making the nurses laugh and never shed a tear.”

Returning home, Daniel still had seizures, but they became less frequent as his medication began to work. When Daniel broke up from school for Christmas, his seizures returned in clusters and he had to go back to hospital. Over the Christmas holidays, Daniel was in and out of hospital almost every night, before things started to look brighter.

The family then read about Young Epilepsy’s 26 days challenge, where fundraisers pledge to walk 26 miles in 26 days over March, and Daniel jumped at the chance to be involved. They made him a Just Giving page and within four hours he had met his £300 target.

In the end, Daniel completed a whopping 47 miles.

Whatever the weather, Daniel was ready every night at 5pm to complete his walks.

Even after feeling sleepy due to his medication, Daniel always got involved, with his grandad, friends,

Daniel Stephens, nine, who was diagnosed with epilepsy and has completed a 47 mile fundraising challenge football team and younger sister Maddie, five, all helping out.

His fundraising has now reached £1,913 with his family being notified by Young Epilepsy that he is their top fundraiser in the country of and that he is also sitting in the top five per cent of every Just Giving page for total funds raised for the charity.

Kayleigh added: “He is an utter inspiration, so resilient, strong, brave and most importantly always .smiling.”

Every nurse, doctor and consultant who met Daniel could not believe how

brave he was