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A lifeline for Jasmine

Emilene White
15/ 3/2006

BUBBLY Jasmine Jones is a joy to her mum and dad and big sister Georgia.

But the sparky six-year-old suffers from a catalogue of problems that have seen her rushed to hospital countless times. She is unable to speak because of brain damage sustained at birth.

Luckily for her, she has a team of doctors and nurses at Tameside Hospital who have stayed with her through repeated bouts of pneumonia and epileptic seizures that can last 45 minutes.

Describing the unit as a 'lifeline', mum Debbie, 41, said: "If it closes down our life will be turned upside down. The staff are absolutely wonderful, they've saved her life more than once. For a child like Jasmine there's no diagnosis and it really is hard. When you've a sick child like her, you're lucky if you can find even a couple of people you can trust, and I have done."

She and husband Chris, 34, of Arlies Close, Stalybridge, dream of moving to the countryside with Jasmine and seven-year-old Georgia, but have put their plans on hold to stay close to the hospital.

"If she had a seizure and we had to go to Stockport or Manchester I don't know what would happen because at the moment, even by the time she's got to Tameside, she's stopped breathing," Debbie added.