Girl, 9, rushed to hospital after two 'silent strokes' leaving mum heartbroken

13 February 2024 , 11:15

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Tayshelice Hewitt, from Birmingham, was taken to hospital (Image: Birmingham Women and Children's Hospital)

A nine-year-old girl was dashed to hospital after suffering two "silent strokes".

When blood flow to Tayshelice Hewitt's brain was blocked suddenly, the youngster was taken to hospital, where doctors carried out an urgent blood cell exchange.

Her mother, Tameka, was worried for her daughter but, after a stay and treatment at Birmingham Children's Hospital, Tayshelice is now recovering at home.

Tameka said: "It was really devastating. We were so worried about her, but she was well looked after by the staff, who arranged an urgent blood cell exchange."

An MRI scan had showed Tayshelice, from the Kingstanding area of Birmingham, had suffered the strokes, which happened following treatment for a lung infection and MRSA. The girl has a weakened immune system due to her sickle cell disease (SCD), a serious and lifelong condition that affects red blood cells.

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But the brave youngster has been championing its awareness throughout her life and, this month, the hospital named Tayshelice its Young Advocate of the Year for her work. She will be presented the prize at the Progression of Sickle Cell Conference this summer. Tayshelice started a YouTube channel and even read stories about sickle cell in the local community, her church and nursing homes. She has also started fundraising campaigns at her school.

Tayshelice needed a blood cell exchange at Birmingham Children's Hospital (Birmingham Women and Children's Hospital)

The brave youngster is doing all she can to raise. awareness of sickle cell disease (Birmingham Women and Children's Hospital)

Tameka, who has four other children but none of these inherited SCD, said: "She's had to deal with so much at such a young age, but she is so resilient and takes everything in her stride. We are so proud of her for using her experiences to teach the world about sickle cell and help other children living with the disease."

Around 15,000 people in the UK have SCD but sometimes it is "hidden" and Tayshelice has worked hard, despite her strokes, lung infection and MRSA, to raise awareness of it. Tayshelice said: "On the outside, I look fine, but on the inside, it's really difficult and overwhelming. It sometimes feels like a stabbing pain and I’ve had headaches that feel like there’s glass in my head. The pain is so bad that sometimes I have to go to hospital."

Tayshelice had a heel prick test when she was a baby, which revealed she had the condition. She was then transferred to the Children’s Hospital’s specialist sickle cell centre, one the biggest of its kind in the country caring for around 500 children and young people.

SCD, which tends to affect people of an Afro-Caribbean heritage, produces unusually shaped red blood cells that do not live as long as healthy blood cells and can block blood vessels. Tayshelice attends the hospital regularly for treatment and blood transfusions to treat the disease.

It can cause painful episodes called sickle cell crises and can also cause an increased risk of serious infections, anaemia, which can cause fatigue, strokes and lung problems.

And, in 2022, Tayshelice experienced the lung infection, following which she endured the strokes last year. Her mum added: "Tayshelice does get upset when she is in hospital as she has to spend time away from home, but she keeps herself busy through uploading videos to her YouTube channel."

Amanda Cope, Advanced Nurse Practitioner for Haematology at Birmingham Children's Hospital, said: “She is a little star. She’s had a really rough time having to deal with some severe pain but she always soldiers on. She’s such an inspiration and we’re all so proud of her.”

Bradley Jolly