Dad taking on the Tour for Isabel

Jonathan Dixon will ride the 100km Sportive leg of the race later this year, in the hopes of raising as much money as possible for The Children’s Hospital Charity, after his daughter Isabel was treated for memingitis at Sheffield Children’s Hospital Accident and Emergency department.

Isabel was just four years old when she fell ill with, what her parents first thought, was a routine sickeness bug.

“She had woken up with a headache and was feeling ill so we kept her off school,” said Jonathan, aged 54.

“As the day went on, she was getting drowsier, so we took her to our GP who said we should take her to A&E.

“By the time we got her there she’d gone limp and was difficult to rouse and whilst we were waiting to be seen, Isabel developed a rash. The doctors and nurses at the hospital jumped into action straight away - we’d never seen staff move so quickly. They weren’t sure it was meningitis but she was starting to show the signs, so one of the emergency doctors made the decision to get her straight onto intravenous antibiotics.”

“The doctors told us that anything could happen in the next few hours – but thankfully she started to respond and, within 48 hours of starting treatment she, suddenly sat up in bed and asked us for something to eat. It was amazing.

“We feel very luycky that Isabel, now aged 24, came through it without lasting effects. She’s now training to become a speech therapist in the NHS.”

Visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Jonathan-Dixon9 to donate.