Jack Bell

Jack Bell is 22 months old and suffers from uncontrolled epilepsy. He started having seizures at just a few months old and despite trying numerous epilepsy medications, the seizures are still not controlled. At present he is having up to 10 seizures in a day. All the tests so far have come back clear, and he has now been tested for Dravet's syndrome, his parents Catherine and Tony are anxiously waiting for the results.

In order to do something positive, Catherine has joined together with a group of her friends (known collectively as ‘Jack's Belles'!) and is arranging a number of fundraising activities for the MMT, including a Masquerade black tie ball on the 16^th May 2009. Already the support has been tremendous and Jack's Belles have had promises of flower arrangements for all the tables, favours for each of the 180 guests and raffle prizes including a BMW pedal car and a top of the range BMW for a weekend, all from local businesses in the Blackpool area. The tickets sold out in just 5 days!

Catherine told us, "Unless you are living with the condition on a daily basis I don't think you can appreciate the stress of daily life. My eldest son Oliver who is 5, is witnessing Jack's seizures and having to deal with them as a normal part of his life. It is heartbreaking to see him stroking Jack's hair during a seizure and we can't do anything to stop them. We need to raise awareness and support each other and do all we can to make our children's lives better."

Update - May 2009

Catherine and the Belles enjoy a successful night of fundraising.

Update - August 2009

Catherine and her team of 'Jacks Belles' arrived in Edinburgh on 24th July for a well deserved weekend break at The Balmoral Hotel.

Before the relaxing could begin the girls wanted to present Ann Maxwell with a cheque for the combined total of all of their fantastic fundraising efforts.  They have managed to raise an absolutely amazing £10,000 this year and they have no plans to stop anytime soon!

There are plans afoot for a ladies lunch later in the year and running vests have been purchased for the Belles brave enough to tackle the Great North Run in September.

We would like to say an enormous thank you to Catherine and her team and to all of those who supported each of their events.  Their hard work will allow us to continue our vital support of families just like Jack's who are caring for a child with epilepsy.

Update - December 2009

Just as he celebrated his third birthday, Jack Bell has been inspiring his team of 'Belles' again!

His Mum Catherine and her group of wonderful friends and supporters, 'Jack's Belles' organised an elegant Ladies Lunch which took place at The Grand Hotel in Lytham St. Anne's for 28^th November 2009.

News of their fundraising event can be found here.

We would like to say again how touched we are by the amazing efforts of Catherine and her team to raise such amazing amounts for MMT.  The £3,500 from the Ladies' Lunch will go a long way in helping to support other families caring for children with epilepsy in the UK.

Thank you Catherine and Jack's Belles!