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Meningitis survivor's skydive
A TEENAGER who was left unable to walk after falling ill with meningitis has skydived 16,000ft to raise money for research into the disease.
Helen Kearney, aged 16, of North Wingfield, Chesterfield, was struck down by the brain bug two years ago, and faced a long recovery period - but the determined youngster battled her way back to full health.
Helen, an A-level student at Chesterfield College, leapt from a plane in the skies above Nottingham in aid of charity Meningitis UK, and raised over 400 for its campaign to find a vaccine for meningitis B.
Brave Helen said: "The skydive went really well. I enjoyed it so much even though I was really scared when it came to getting in the plane."
Helen developed the early symptoms of meningitis while at a friend's house with her mum, Tracey, and complained of a "massive headache".
When she went home she began vomiting, and passed out twice before a bruise appeared on her leg.
Helen's dad, Danny, tested the bruise with a glass, but the bruise didn't fade so they called an ambulance.
Helen was treated at Sheffield Children's Hospital, where she was sedated and put on a ventilator for five days, while Tracey and Danny waited for her to come round.
Eventually she was allowed home, and started back in Y10 at Turton Hall School, Chesterfield, where she caught up on her studies and gained her GCSEs.
Steve Dayman, founder of Meningitis UK, said: "Helen's efforts are really inspirational. We're so glad she's made such a good recovery and to jump 16,000ft out of a plane is no mean feat!"
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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