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Teenager gives back to charity after surviving road accident

Thursday 29 September, 2016

An
18 year old who suffered life-changing injuries when he was run over by a bus
has raised over £1,200 for The Sick Children’s Trust as thanks for keeping his
parents by his hospital bedside.

At just
11 years old, James Fleming, from South Shields, was crossing the road when got
hit at full speed by an oncoming bus. He suffered major injuries and for a
month was treated in Newcastle upon Tyne’s General Hospital (now the Campus for
Ageing and Vitality), where doctors couldn’t predict whether James would be
able to walk or talk again. However, over the next four weeks he received
intense physiotherapy from a dedicated care team at the RVI and gradually grew
stronger. He also had one-to-one care from his parents Tracy and Ken Fleming,
which was possible as they were supported with free ‘Home from Home’
accommodation run by The Sick Children’s Trust.

Since
his accident, James has defied doctors’ expectations by making an excellent
recovery and over the last few years he’s not let the side effects of the
incident hold him back. In fact, this year James competed in the Great North
Run, which he finished in 1hr 48ms and raised £1,200 for The Sick Children’s
Trust. Mum Tracy says:

“I am
so proud of James and how far he’s come since the accident.To look at him you’d
never think anything had happened and how close we came to losing him. Watching
him stride over the finish line and see the smile on his face - knowing he has
raised so much for The Sick Children’s Trust - filled us with joy.

“When
James was recovering from his accident, it was so important for us to be there,
which was made possible by The Sick Children’s Trust’s ‘Home from Home’
Crawford House. South Shields does not seem like a million miles away from
Newcastle, but when you’re told your son may not wake up from his coma, being
anywhere but by his side is too far.

“Fortunately,
The Sick Children’s Trust came into our lives and helped us see the light during
this traumatic time. The charity gave us a place to go, and Crawford House felt
like home but was just a few minutes’ walk from James. Crawford House meant
that we could get some rest, and when the nurses weren’t with James he wasn’t
alone because we could be there.”

Crawford
House is located just minutes from the children’s wards at the RVI and supports
families who have seriously ill children in hospital with free ‘Home from Home’
accommodation. The house has 23 family bedrooms, 12 bathrooms and shared
communal areas such as a kitchen, living room and laundry room. James,
who is a qualified fitness instructor and currently volunteering at his local
gym, says:

“I’ve
really enjoyed giving back to The Sick Children’s Trust, the difference they
made to my Mam and Dad was incredible. My Mam truly believes that because they
were able to stay so close at Crawford House it really helped speed up my
recovery, as I had them beside me and wasn’t fighting on my own.”

Crawford
House Manager, Gail Stonley, adds: “We’re so pleased to see how far James has
come in all these years; it was a pleasure to see him at Crawford House before
he set off for the Great North Run. His determination to not let his accident
affect him is inspirational.

“We’d
like to thank him, his friends and family for helping raise so much money for
The Sick Children’s Trust. Although we give families free accommodation, it
costs the charity £30 to support a family for one night, so these funds will go
a long way in keeping families together with their seriously ill children.”



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