I told my mum: we
AN inspirational Southport woman who says she is lucky to be alive after being born as ‘a Thalidomide baby’ is this week celebrating her 60th birthday.
Teresa Smith was born on October 12 1960 with short arms and no legs due to her mother being given the controversial drug during pregnancy.
Thalidomide, made by German firm Grunenthal, was sold in the 1950s as a cure for morning sickness, was linked to birth defects including shortened arms and legs, blindness, deafness, heart problems and brain damage and was withdrawn in 1961. Teresa is one of life’s battlers.
She has fought all her life not just for herself, but also for others.
When her mum died in April, aged 94, she was able to tell her on her deathbed that she was a survivor and that Diagio and Grunenthel, who had made the drug, “hadn’t beaten us”.
Now Teresa is campaigning for a permanent memorial to be created in Liverpool to honour all of the Thalidomide babies who failed to survive childbirth.
Teresa was born in what was classed as the Sunshine Houses in Bedford Road in Walton in Liverpool.
Her father was called Joseph and he was from Kirkdale in Liverpool and her mother, Teresa, was from OMeath in County Louth in Ireland. She grew up with her big sister Annette who is 16 months older.
Teresa said: “My mother was looking forward to having her second baby and she opted to have me at home so that she could be close to my sister, who was only a toddler.
“However, the plan of normal pregnancy did not quite aspire to what my mother thought would be a wholesome baby to be delivered.
“I was born with short arms and no legs and later diagnosed as a Thalidomide baby.
“In the 1960s there were no scans so this was a big shock to the midwife and the doctor.
“The midwife was called Rose Clarken. They struck up a friendship because of their Irish ethnicity.
“I later learned by Rose that she suspected something was wrong because she couldn’t feel my legs whilst being examined.
“My mum kept saying ‘why are you keeping checking me’. Rose very politely told her: ‘I am just coming for a cup of tea so I may as well check you’. Indeed this midwife Rose saved my life; because the doctor panicked and so she delivered me.
“I was only given three minutes to live and she rushed me to a hospital.
“I was there for three years having been a very sick baby and many operations to follow.”
Teresa was indeed lucky to survive. The total number of people affected by Thalidomide use during pregnancy is estimated at 10,000, of whom about 40% died around the time of birth.
Teresa said: “I was in Alder Hey children’s hospital in Liverpool having many operations, which were innovative and experimental.
“My mum wasn’t happy with me staying in so long and she certainly questioned Dr Smithells.
“Indeed with a strong Irish assertiveness she challenged the medical profession; even to the point saying that I was being neglected and she insisted on a diet plan and now all nurses had to follow it.
“He became quite worried because he then said that my cot would be moved into his office.
“Interestingly enough Dr Smithells was also known to have set up the first register for disabled children. He was a leading light into Thalidomide and he corresponded with Dr Lenz in Germany saying that there was a considerable cluster of disabled children being born with similar impairments; indeed Liverpool was very significant in highlighting Thalidomide around the world.
“He also advised the Thalidomide Trust with his skill and knowledge; in my latter years I served on many committees with him. I also discussed many medical cases with him as two professionals together.”
Teresa’s schooldays loomed, and she looked forward to them with much excitement.
She said: “So the big day arrived when I was to go to school! I was excited to go to school as my sister had gone to the local school in Litherland in Liverpool.
“I remember my mum crying because she did not want me to go. However, I was told at school would be exciting and adventurous.
“Unfortunately, my life truly began because the school was for disabled children. It was called Greenbank and was near Sefton Park in Liverpool.
“Liverpool City Council provided a taxi from my home to school. I had a female carer in the taxi.
“I just remember being dropped off at the door but nobody came to see me take me into class for a long time. I felt truly deserted and lonely and didn’t know what to do as I was just a small five-year-old.
“When I was taken into the class my world was turned upside down to see these disabled children tied into wooden chairs unable to speak and dribbling. Therefore school to me was a shock! I just wanted to go back home and watch Andy Pandy.
“Indeed my learning in that school was atrocious; the only person that taught me was a dinner lady she started to teach me to count the counters.
“There were 12 Thalidomide children in Liverpool so the Liverpool local authority tried to merge us into Dovecot Junior School. The headteacher was called Miss Kelly.
“In all my years of my career as a social worker I have the most respect for Miss Kelly as she was given a tremendous task to merge 12 Thalidomide children with many different impairments into the school.
“I remember 12 of us being put into a small garden so that all the children could see us get used to us.
“After a few weeks we were all integrated into different classes.
“Indeed her attitude was ‘everything is possible’.
“My memories of Miss Kelly was she chose me to be in a play and to be the leading part.
“Looking back, that is where I got my acting bug from. I now go as a hobby for acting classes.”
Dovecot Junior was only from 7 to 11 years of age. It was time to move on.
Teresa said: “I really wanted to go to Highfield which would have been the senior school in Liverpool with my friends. However, my mother had different ideas. She wanted me to go to the Catholic school St Wilfrid’s in Litherland.
“My parents had a battle in this area because they said I could not go to a non-disabled school. My mother then took this challenge on with the priest and the headteacher.
“After several stormy meetings I was then inaugurated into St Wilfrid’s school. I can honestly say I did not like the school. It was really difficult being bullied at such a big school to try and get around utilising heavy artificial legs.
“I would often be late for the class, waiting for teachers to lift me up and down stairs. However, I did exceedingly well and I achieved nine CSEs.”
“After leaving school I went to college in Crosby and did some further education in maths and English which then brought me to the required level to entering my first post as a secretary for the Liverpool ECHO. I then moved on to Girobank in Bootle.
“I remember having the interview so well, and saying to the manager at the time I will give you six weeks and you can give six weeks to see how it all goes.
“I was 18 and stayed there until my early 30s. I led many projects within the bank and received many honours.
“Moving on I was ready for a change! What could I do!
“I had recently been abroad to a worldwide Thalidomide conference. I