Why you need that flu jab
Many people won’t have the vaccine but ELIZABETH ARCHER speaks to a mother who knows the real dangers of this illness
jab was ineffective for some groups, health chiefs insist this year’s vaccine will protect against this strain and are urging as many as possible to take up the offer.
“Flu has the potential to become very serious, especially for someone with a long-term health condition,” says Professor Paul Cosford, director for health protection at Public Health England.
When Denise recalls what happened to her youngest daughter in February 2002, a lump forms in her throat. “I dropped Ruquaya off with my sister in the morning on the way to work and she seemed to have a cold coming on. When I went to pick her up she seemed very sleepy and didn’t want to feed but I wasn’t particularly worried.”
Denise decided to take her daughter to St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington, central London. “When I arrived at hospital the doctor told me she was in a coma and grabbed her out of my hands. Before long, there were three doctors crowding around her and she started having a seizure.”
Ruquaya was put on life-support while the doctors ran tests to find out what was wrong. Three days later came the devastating news that Ruquaya had brain damage caused by the flu.
“The doctors said she had complete brain damage, meaning all her cognitive functions had been affected. I was floored but I had to put my grief on hold and concentrate on helping my daughter get better,” says Denise.
After three months in hospital Ruquaya was discharged and went to a special rehabilitation centre for children with brain injuries in Tadworth, Surrey, where she spent six months. During this time, she seemed to be recovering, achieved normal developmental milestones and her family were hopeful the grim predictions were wrong.
Then three years later tragedy struck again. Ruquaya caught another bout of flu with the same result. Dr Weatherall believes some patients are more susceptible than others to this type of complication.
“The presumption is that some people must be more genetically prone to this than others but we don’t know exactly why so it is important as many people as possible are vaccinated,” he says.
Denise says: “My daughter used to smile for Britain but she lost that after her second bout of illness. I was heartbroken as her smile was the thing that kept me going.”
Ruquaya cannot walk and now struggles to talk or see, although she can still hear well.
“After seeing her make such an amazing recovery the first time it was absolutely devastating for her to fall ill again,” says Denise. But with the help of Noah’s Ark Children’s hospice in London, things are finally looking up.
The hospice provides play services for children such as Ruquaya with life-limiting conditions and support for Denise’s older children.
In October construction began on The Ark, a state-of-the-art hospice building which will provide a restful place for families with sick children to spend time together.
The £6.2million residential unit in Barnet, London, will allow the charity to increase its support for the 1,200 babies and children with life-threatening or life-limiting conditions in the area.
The charity is now hoping to raise the £2million needed to finish the building. The project is supported by Samantha Cameron, whose son Ivan had cerebral palsy and epilepsy and died aged six in 2009.
Despite her condition, Denise is determined her daughter will enjoy every day. “We’re just thankful she survived. The virus took everything but her fighting spirit.”