‘She just wants a normal life’: Charity match with Chris Waddle to help Sheffield teen facing brain surgery
“She just wants a normal life”
A major fundraising event is set to take place this weekend in support of Sheffield teenager Grace Pagdin, with football legends and entertainment lined up to draw in crowds.
The chance to meet football heroes like Chris Waddle, Lee Bullen and David Hirst is expected to draw big crowds to a charity match in Sheffield this weekend.
Bob the Bucket, one of the members of the viral spoof Sheffield football team Royal Oak FC, is also due to take part.
But for one local family, the day represents something far more urgent than a chance to meet footballing legends.
This fundraiser is another step in a desperate fight to give 15-year-old Grace Pagdin something she has never truly had: a normal teenage life.
Grace, from Ecclesfield, has spent the last seven years living with a rare and complex form of epilepsy.
Since her first seizure at just eight years old, her condition has worsened to the point where she now suffers prolonged, aggressive episodes that can last for two to three hours at a time.
Her mum, Emma, says those seizures have taken over every part of her life.
“We’re constantly in hospital. Grace can’t have her own life, or even make friends - she has too many seizures to go into school properly,” she said.
“She just wants a normal life, to do simple things. She can’t go out on her own, she can’t have sleepovers, she can’t just be a teenager,” Emma said.
Describing her daughter, Emma said: “She loves her music - it’s the same playlist every time, really loud - Jason Derulo, Rihanna, all of that.
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“She’ll dance around the house and play it really loud just to wind me and her dad up. She’s sarcastic as well - always taking the mick out of my Northern Irish accent.”
It’s in those moments, Emma says, that you see the real Grace. But dealing with this condition is becoming increasingly difficult.
“On a bad day, she doesn’t want to do anything. She doesn’t even want to leave bed.
“She asks, ‘what’s the point?’ It is so hard to watch her go through it.”
After years of searching for answers, the family were given hope when specialists identified Grace as a suitable candidate for deep brain stimulation - a complex procedure that could significantly reduce the length of her seizures.
While it would not stop them entirely, it could prevent the prolonged episodes that put her at risk of brain damage due to lack of oxygen, and help stabilise her worsening memory.
But that hope came with a devastating setback - the NHS will not fund the treatment.
Since launching a fundraiser, the family have raised more than £47,000 towards their £55,000 target. Yet even as they edge closer, another barrier has emerged.
Emma says the surgery cannot go ahead until aftercare is fully accounted for - something made more complicated by rules around mixing private donations with NHS funding.
“The consultant is doing everything he can to utilise the money and help with aftercare, but it’s difficult,” she said.
There are also long-term considerations, including the need to replace a battery used in the procedure every few years due to the frequency of Grace’s seizures, as well as a risk of infection.
Still, Emma is clear there is no alternative but to keep going.
“We would fundraise for the rest of our lives if we had to. I would do anything to raise this money,” she said.
“I am so grateful, overwhelmed by the love people have shown, but we are by no means done.”
Fundraising event details
Sunday’s charity event at Thorncliffe Sports Bar in High Green - starting at 1pm and free to attend - is set to be the biggest fundraiser yet, with a packed day designed to draw in crowds and raise as much money as possible for Grace.
A charity football match will see former Sheffield Wednesday favourites Chris Waddle and Lee Bullen take to the pitch, with ex-striker David Hirst also in attendance, alongside other ex-professionals.
Fictitious physio Bob the Bucket will also be there on the day, helping to boost support.
Off the pitch, organisers have planned a full day of entertainment including live singers, karaoke and bingo, as well as a raffle and auction - with prizes including signed Sheffield United merchandise.
“It should be a massive event, we’d love as many people as possible to come down,” Emma added.
For Grace, it is another chance to move one step closer to a life beyond hospital walls.