Brave Jacob’s charity walk raises  £800 for children like him with blood disease

A brave seven-year-old boy with a rare blood disease has rallied support to raise funds for charity with a beach walk.
Jacob and friends at the start of the walk.Jacob and friends at the start of the walk.
Jacob and friends at the start of the walk.

Jacob Green plans to walk more than five-and-a-half miles with friends and supporters from Skegness to the North Sea Observatory at Chapel Point for The Haemophilia Society – the organisation which has inspired and helped him live as natural a life as possible.

Football mad Jacob plays for The Swifts wearing protective gear and has been promised a themed bedroom by his mum as a reward for completing the task.

"I can’t tell you how proud I am of him,” said Nicola Green. “He stood up at his school, Chapel St Leonards Primary to raise awareness of the Haemophilia Society’s fundraiser Walk Around the World where sufferers from around the country raise money with steps and register them.

"The school was so impressed with his idea for the walk his friends said they wanted to take part, even the headteacher is joining in, and it has snowballed from there.

"Swifts members and parents are also taking part so we expecting a good turnout and would love to raise£1,000.”

Jacob’s condition, severe heamophillia A, means his blood’s X chromosome has been affected and he has no Factor 8. Without medication his blood will not clot and he would bleed internally and into his joints when he gets injured. He could also just bleed spontaneously.

He was diagnosed when he was just eight months old while on holiday. “He’d been just sitting quietly with his toys but when we came to put him in hispram he started to cry and we noticed his arm was swollen,” recalled Nicola.

"There was also bruising which we had flagged up to doctors before. It was a frightening time because Social Services were called but after 48 hours it was confirmed he had a blood disorder.”

. Last year Jacob had to miss eight weeks of school due to internal bleeding. He has about 102 needle injections each year – a massive number for a seven-year-old who hates needles.

"We need to be vigilant,” explained Nicola. “Jacob is very lucky he has great preventative treatment from the NHS. John Radcliffe Children’s Hospital look after his care with support of UK centres such as Great Ormond Street.

"Jacob receives treatment currently by sub cutaneous injections and by receiving the missing factor 8 by intravenous infusions, all of which we have been trained to do at home. This keeps Jacob as safe as possible and we encourage him to live a normal seven-year-old life.

“We work hard behind the scenes to keep him protected when he does exercise and activity, although constant needle injections when you are seven years old is really tough.”

The Heamophillia Society supports families with children diagnosed with bleeding disorders.

They have camping weekends and breaks at Center Parcs where families can meet and children can see other children who live with needles and treatment regimes every day of their lives.

"This support has been invaluable so Jacob does not feel isolated and alone,” said Nicola. “Jacob is doing the walk to help the charity keep these activities going so other children can experience them.”

To support the fundraiser visit Nicola Green Walk Around the World at JustGiving.

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