That was the week that was

 

Two weeks ago, when littlest one was due his MMR vaccination, I thought a lot about the Pass It On campaign that Christine Mosler from Thinly Spread wrote a lot about and worked very hard to publicise. I thought a lot about how lucky I was that both my boys had free access to life-saving vaccines.

Even 10 days later, when littlest one spiked a fever in reaction to his vaccinations (or so I thought), I just kept thinking, “well, at least he’s had the vaccines…at least he’s immune to some really awful childhood diseases”. Unlike thousands of children in Africa.

But then it all became a lot more frightening. On Wedsnesday littlest one developed the characteristic non-blanching rash of meningitis.

Within 20 minutes of googling meningitis symptoms I was at my local GP surgery with littlest one being examines by one of the 8 lovely GPs in our practice, 5 minutes later an ambulance was called and littlest one was given a hefty shot of antibiotics in his thigh by 1 of the 2 practice nurses. Not 1, not 2, but 3 paramedics arrived to assess littlest one and whisk us to hospital 3 miles away.

On arrival at A&E we were taken straight through to the senior paediatric on-call registrar who swiftly assessed littlest one and reassured us that thankfully, meningitis could be ruled out. We then spent a further 48 hours receiving expert care, with highly skilled people carrying out a whole battery of tests on our behalf, and all for free. 4 different registrars, 2 senior house officers and numerous nurses and healthcare assistants looked after us over those 48 hours. At a rough estimate, about 16 healthcare professionals helped us over the course of 3 days.

We were lucky, littlest one didn't have meningitis. But even if he had, the vigilance and knowledge of those 16 healthcare professionals would have meant that our beautiful, smiley boy would not have died. Some children are not so lucky. Some children have to walk days to reach just 1 health worker.

No child should die because they are unable to get help from a health worker, but because of a global shortage of 3.5 million doctors, nurses, midwives and community health workers, every year millions do. Half of the 8 million children who die each year are in Africa, yet Africa has only 3% of the world’s doctors, nurses and midwives.

I am so thankful that we have access to such talented healthcare workers practically on our doorstep. Tonight, I am both grateful and humbled and holding my babies tightly.

Thank you Chris for helping remind me just how lucky I am.

On Tuesday, Chris will attend the UN General Assembly in New York. She is going there with Liz Scarff on behalf of Save the Children to pressure David Cameron to play his full part in solving the health worker crisis.  There is a target of 60,000 signatures on the petition by Tuesday.

Please sign the petition here to end the health worker crisis.

To help spread the word @helloitsgemma and @michelletwinmum want to get 100 bloggers linked up before Tuesday. Pop over to @michelletwinmum for more information and to see how you can help the #Healthworkers campaign.

Do you remember Live Aid?

I do. In 1985 I sat and watched Live Aid with my dad. I was 8 but I still have vivid memories of the pictures of starving children that were broadcast. Children with tummies bloated from malnutrition and skeletal limbs. To this day, the song Who's Gonna Drive You Home by The Cars immediately conjures up images of children lying on the dry, dusty ground. Not playing, just lying there with sunken eyes. So thin you could see their ribs and pelvic bones. I can remember asking my dad why these children weren't swatting away the flies that kept landing on their eyes and faces...because they're too weak princess he replied.

I now have my own children, 2 boys with healthy appetites for food and for life. We have a well-stocked fridge, the luxury of fresh fruit and vegetables whenever we want them and clean water on tap (literally).

I'm fiercely protective of my boys. I'd do anything for them, as I'm sure most mothers would. But I just can't imagine being forced to walk for weeks, through blistering heat, with no shelter, just to reach food and water. But that's exactly what thousands of mothers are having to do, right now, in East Africa.

On the Save the Children website there is a photograph of two brothers. They're probably not that different in ages from my two boys. But these brothers have traveled hundreds of miles in search of food and water. The tears running down their faces tell of the relief they feel at finally arriving at the Save the Children programme site and of the pain they've endured to get there.

I can't bear to imagine a situation where my 5 year old would have to carry his younger brother miles to safety, to food, to water. It breaks my heart, not just as a mother but as a decent human being. Hearing of 6 week old babies suffering from malnutrition in East Africa shocked me. How can a 6 week old baby be malnourished? Only too easily if their mothers are not receiving sufficient nourishment themselves and sacrificing what meagre rations they do have to feed their older, starving children. And that's what's prompted me to write this post.

"in Somalia malnutrition rates have reached 30 per cent in some areas, making East Africa one of the hungriest places on earth." Save the Children

Let me introduce you to some people. This is Umi with her mum Amina:

Per-Anders Pettersson/Save the Children

At 3 months old, Umi weighs just 3.7lbs. My youngest son weighed double that at birth. Umi has been sick since birth with diarrhoea. Amina lost all her livestock because of the drought and her 2 older children are malnourished. The drought forced Amina to migrate away from the rest of her family and she has not seen her family members for four months. She now fears that her children might die because of the drought.

This is Rahow:

Colin Crowley/Save the Children

Two months ago Rahow started vomiting and suffering from diarrhoea and a fever. He was very weak and his family were advised to take him to the Save the Children programme site. Thankfully, they did and Rahow was treated and given nutritious food. He's now gaining weight and is doing really well. Hopefully, Rahow will continue to grow and thrive. But other children may not be so lucky.

Chronic malnutrition can have a devastating effect on children, resulting in them failing to grow to their full genetic potential, both mentally and physically. There is a critical window for a child's optimal physical and mental growth and development. It starts from when a child is still in its mother's womb and stretches through its first two years of life. If we can intervene during this period to counter the effects of malnutrition, the harm it causes can be reversed. But if the opportunity is missed, the child will never make up the difference in growth and development, and will be adversely affected for the rest of his/her life.

Save the Children are doing an amazing job working within these communities, treating malnourished children and pregnant and breastfeeding women, and distributing food and water. But over 7 million people in East Africa still need help and Save the Children urgently need donations to reach more families. Just £25 can buy 10 days of treatment for five children with malnutrition. £50 can provide safe drinking water for almost 800 people. £100 can buy 4 family hygiene kits to prevent the spread of disease.

Please help Save the Children help children like Umi and Rahow by donating now. I have.