Newton Aycliffe Mam Raising Awareness Of Deadly Infection
A Newton Aycliffe mam is trying to raise awareness about a deadly infection that left her baby with brain damage.
Rachel Hetherington's six-month-old daughter Briannah-Rae contracted group B streptococcus at birth and has now been given only weeks to live.
It caused her to develop meningitis, which caused sepsis on her brain, leaving her with severe brain damage and unable to function.
Rachel says a recent MRI scan revealed most of Briannah's brain is irreparably damaged.
The group B strep infection is caused by a bacteria which is usually harmless for the 1 in 5 women in the UK who carry it.
In rare cases however, the bacteria is passed to the baby during birth and it can cause life-long complications and death.
It's usually treated with a course of antibiotics during labour.
There is no routine testing by the NHS to determine if a mother-to-be is carrying the infection, something 21-year-old Rachel says MUST change.
She said:
"If more pregnant people knew about it, the more they could go on about it to their midwives to be tested.
It's a simple little test that takes 2 seconds and it could save your babies life.
Your baby can come out the other side and be fit and be healthy.
Unfortunately this is the outcome; my daughter is the outcome of what can happen with it."
Rachel was stunned with the help Briannah received at James Cook Hospital in Middlesbrough, so is helping to organise a charity boxing event to raise money for their Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.
It will feature local boxer Danny Barnes who recently made a full recovery from cancer himself.
He said:
"I'm looking forward to this event, it's going to be a good one."
You can find more about the event .