A FOOTBALL-MAD youngster will be travelling to Disneyland Paris with Chronicle-backed charity Miles of Smiles after winning a Child of Courage award.
Nathan Chesters, eight, was nominated for the Dee 106.3 award by his mum Helen a year after doctors almost gave up hope him when he collapsed at home in Saltney.
And Helen is so proud of her son she has now nominated in the Young Champion category of the Trinity Mirror Cheshire/ScottishPower Your Champions 2011 awards.
The Broughton Junior School pupil came home from football practice on July 18 last year and went to bed as normal.
A few hours later he woke with a headache and within minutes had collapsed.
Helen said: “He had suffered a massive bleed to the brain and was rushed to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, where he had emergency surgery and spent three weeks in intensive care.
“He was on a ventilator and was not responding. The doctors started talking about turning the ventilator off when things started to change.
“They were still saying that even if he survived he may be in a coma or have very severe brain damage, but he’s really surprised the doctors.”
It was discovered Nathan had an arteriovenous malformation (AVM) – an abnormal connection between the veins and arteries in his brain.
“In about September he could respond enough to give me a high five, but it wasn’t really until October that he was able to speak,” added Helen.
“He just gets on with everything. Doctors were amazed at his progress and he became known as the little miracle boy!”
Nathan’s twin sister Lauren helped her mum and dad Russell look after him during his hospital stay.
In January this year Nathan returned to Alder Hey for a craniotomy – a critical operation which involved removing the AVM from his brain to prevent any further bleeds.
“After a painstaking seven hours we went to collect Nathan from the recovery room, where he again amazed the doctors by asking what was for tea and when could he watch TV,” said Helen.
Nathan returned to school in a wheelchair, although he was still travelling to Alder Hey four times a week for therapy. He has been back at school full-time since the end of February and recently started training again with his old football team in Chester.
Nathan was presented with his Dee 106.3 Child of Courage trophy at a gala ceremony at the Ramada Hotel in Chester last month.
Helen said: “I have nominated him for the Chronicle award because he has never once complained about his illness. He has remained positive and always believed he was going to prove the doctors wrong.
“His recovery is down to his love of life, courage, determination and his ability to conquer anything he sets his mind to.
“He is an inspiration to be around and is living proof that people can overcome anything when they put their minds to it.”
