Running for a Reason

“Four years ago, our then three-year-old daughter, Frieda, became seriously unwell, very suddenly. She developed a high temperature, a rash all over her body, started getting tummy cramps and became extremely sensitive to light. We went to A&E and Frieda was admitted to East Surrey Hospital.  

After CT scans, X-rays, and a lumbar puncture, doctors still couldn’t identify what was wrong – it was a terrifying, worrying and stressful time. At first, they thought she had sepsis, then meningitis. Her symptoms worsened and she started having issues with her heart, so she was transferred to ICU at the Royal Alexander Children’s Hospital for further tests, where she spent four nights.

Frieda was eventually diagnosed with PIMS-TS and started the treatment she urgently needed. Paediatric Inflammatory Multisystem Syndrome (PIMS) is a new condition that affects some children after they have contracted coronavirus (COVID-19). It is thankfully very rare, with only 0.05% of children getting it, but unfortunately, that also means it is difficult to diagnose. Once Frieda was stable, she returned to East Surrey Hospital Children’s Ward, where she continued her recovery until she was well enough to come home.

Throughout this ordeal, Momentum Children’s Charity were a comforting presence on the ward at East Surrey Hospital. Their Family Support Workers made the hospital environment calmer and more homely, which made a huge difference during such a frightening period. They were personable and warm, and they were familiar with the hospital environment which was comforting. They even brought Frieda thoughtful gifts that lifted her spirits during her recovery. Momentum really helped during a difficult time when my husband and I couldn’t be together to support each other in the hospital because of the COVID-19 pandemic. We were only able to be with Frieda one at a time, so it was a scary, lonely time.

Thanks to the incredible care she received from everyone involved, Frieda made a full recovery. For six months after her treatment, we would have regular follow-up appointments in the hospital.

Frieda is now a creative, sociable, outgoing, chatty seven-year-old who is loving life in Year 2 at school.

As her mum, I will be forever grateful. To say a heartfelt thank you, I am running the Barcelona Half Marathon to raise money to help Momentum continue their wonderful work at East Surrey and other hospitals.

I lived in Barcelona for three years working as a ceramicist in a studio there and learning the language. I named my daughter Frieda after a little girl I used to teach in Spain, and Frieda is now learning Spanish herself, so it will be a fantastic opportunity for her to practice.

Finding time to train between working and being a mother has been tricky, but I have enjoyed it and I am really looking forward to running in Barcelona. Our bodies store trauma in our muscles and fascia, running has provided a lot of time for reflection on this period and lots of emotion has come out while running.

Frieda has come out on training runs with me, and we are going to take up Park Run together.

Completing the run will give me a real sense of achievement, and I am excited to be back in Barcelona with my family where I will have old friends cheering me on. I will think of Momentum as I run and will be remembering everything they do for families like ours.”

Help Rachel reach her fundraising target for Momentum by sponsoring her here

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