Nearly 25 years on, Linda tells their story.
“My daughter Nicole was around eight weeks old when she became unwell. We had been out shopping on a Saturday afternoon and she was a little restless, so we came home.
“I changed her nappy and she had a really upset stomach. She was very sleepy so she went to bed at the normal time and woke early in the morning crying a high pitched cry.
“We took her to hospital and they said she had colic and sent us home. She fell back to sleep and when she woke she seemed different - she looked vacant. We took her straight back to hospital and the doctors then started panicking.
“They attempted a lumber puncture three times and rushed up to intensive care where we were told she had meningococcal meningitis and septicaemia.
“She was discharged around a week later.
Could do nothing
“Her milestones as a baby didn't appear - she didn't crawl, she couldn't sit up unaided without cushions propping her up… At 12 months old she was referred to a developmental doctor and then later was referred to a brain specialist. They told us they could do nothing for Nicole as her brain had been severely damaged and she would never walk or talk.
“Over the years she has deteriorated – she also now has severe scoliosis as well as epilepsy and is unable to do anything for herself. She is a full time wheelchair user but unfortunately the wheelchair she has is no longer suitable as it gives her pressure sores, which cause her pain. She is in need of a specialist wheelchair so I have set up a Just Giving page.”
