Brave Fionn takes on walk for meningitis

Brave Fionn takes on walk for meningitis

7 June 2017

FIONN Denvir was the miracle child who defied the odds to come off a life support machine after contracting meningitis.

After narrowly avoiding having his leg amputated through septicaemia, the four-year-old could barely walk when he eventually left hospital.

Today a fit and healthy 12 year-old, Fionn has just walked 22 miles to raise money for Meningitis Now.

The Newcastle boy joined the founder of the charity, Steve Dayman, on part of his ‘Walk for Meningitis 2017’ 200-mile trek between Derry and Rostrevor. Fionn and other family members joined the route between Strangford and Newcastle on Saturday and helped raise over £2,000.

“It took about six hours,” said Fionn. “Because of what happened to me it is nice to help other people now. “I feel lucky. But people don’t have to be lucky; they can have a cure.”

Fionn’s mum Rita Denvir said the family was delighted to have had so much support with the fundraiser.

“Meningitis doesn’t define who Fionn is but he is obviously really involved with the charity and has met lots of fantastic people,” she said.

“Steve Dayman, who we joined on the walk, lost his son Spencer to meningitis. He helped bring the ‘glass test’ to the UK, which is now really well known. He made a self-funded trip to Sweden 30 years ago and got leaflets on the subject translated into English.

“We are also delighted to have been involved in the campaign for meningitis vaccines to be introduced.”

Describing how Fionn took dangerously ill so quickly, Rita recalled how she had taken Fionn into her bed and given him calpol after he started “burning up”.

Having just given birth to Fionn’s little sister she said she remembered checking him just before the midwife arrived in the morning at 9am.

“At 9.15 she left and under his night shirt he had a rash,” she said. “He had a rash within 15 minutes of last looking.”

Quickly realising it was a distinctive one, the family called 999 as Fionn slipped into semi-consciousness.

“I called the ambulance at 9.20am and by 12pm he was in a coma and on a life support machine,” said Rita. “We were told to say our goodbyes.

“On the third day he was totally unresponsive. That was awful, the worst night.”

Deciding she couldn’t rest that night in the parents’ room, as advised, Rita picked up a book she remembers being called The Blue Balloon, and started to read to Fionn.

“Half way through the story his finger moved a bit,” she said. “I got the attention of the nurse and she said to keep reading.

“He lifted his hand. I kept on going. He lifted his arm up and I squeezed his hand.”

Defying medical expectations, Fionn was taken off the life support machine and spent two-and-a-half weeks in hospital.

“They said the septicaemia meant he might have to lose a leg,” said Rita. “I said: ‘yes if that is what you need to do’. It’s funny looking back how that wasn’t even really an issue.

“He was three-and-a-half stone down to two-and-a-half stone when he came out of hospital. We called him lollipop head. He also had hypersensitive skin.

“Now you wouldn’t know he had been through any illness. He has a black belt in kick boxing and wants to do thai boxing.”

Reflecting on Fionn’s recovery, Rita added: “I have a psychiatric nursing background. Looking back, I had asked our GP to give him a shot of penicillin as the ambulance was taking him to hospital.

“The GP ran out to do it. It wasn’t something the ambulance could do and I’m not sure that he would have made the 40 minute journey to the Royal otherwise. I spoke to the GP afterwards and the GP did not think Fionn was going to make it. The GP didn’t think we were going to make it to Dundrum from Newcastle. He had gone from pink to grey, like a corpse.”

As well as being involved in raising awareness of meningitis symptoms and campaigning for meningitis vaccines, Rita and Fionn hope to raise awareness of the high risk for older teenagers heading to university or college.

“The risk is with interacting with new groups of people, so for four years-old starting school, or teenagers starting college,” said Rita.

“Students may think their ill friend is sleeping off a hangover, but it could be meningitis.”

Fionn is preparing some leaflets on the topic for his fellow students at St Patrick’s Grammar School. Anyone who wants to help his fundraising efforts can also make a donation to Meningitis Now through their website: https://www.meningitisnow.org/