Helen's A Heartbeat Heroine
Bournemouth teenager Helen Spokes did not have the most auspicious starts in life - she was born with five holes in her heart.
As a young child she was pale and sickly, prone to infections, failed to thrive and lacked vitality.
Fast-forward to the present day where she has just competed in the 800-metres race in her school sports day, and has been the inspiration for a successful fundraising drive among the students of Parks House at Bournemouth School for Girls.
Her mother, Angela Spokes, of Curlew Road, Strouden Park, said: "When she was about 10 days old she was diagnosed with atrial septal defect (ASD) and was subsequently put in the care of the cardiac unit at Southampton General Hospital. She was six years old when she had a cardiac catheterisation to make the repairs."
Angela, who is a single mother and the main carer for her disabled sister, added: "The procedure involved going up through the groin to the heart and attaching small devices made of titanium and Gor-Tex called Angel Wings to make the repairs.
She added: "When she was little she didn't have a lot of get-up-and-go. She was quite a sickly child who didn't have much of an appetite. She was just into reading and writing - I think that's why she's so academic now. But she's gorgeous and I'm so proud of her."
Helen, who has just completed year 8 at the school in Castle Lane West, nominated Wessex Heartbeat as a worthy cause for a school fundraising campaign. Through an assortment of events, including a cake, card and teddy bear sale, a disco and a "Smartie Tube Challenge", where the sweets were eaten and replaced with coins, a total of £845 was raised.
A giant cheque was presented by the school to Wessex Heartbeat's Chief Executive D'Arcy Myers, who commented: "It is always special when children help other children. The money raised by the creative ideas of the girls will be put towards making the stay of young adolescents in the Cardiac Unit more comfortable. I can't thank them enough for their enthusiasm and hard work." Helen's Head of House Sandra Kapoor said: "I am extremely proud of all the girls in Parks House for raising so much money for a charity that has become close to all our hearts, as well as to Helen's". Singled out for special mention were the Parks House Charity Prefects - Marie Rowe-Cousins & Elizabeth Patterson, assisted by Senior House Prefect Rebecca Edwards. |
Helen Spokes, Mrs Spokes (behind), Mrs Kapoor, D'Arcy Myers, Rebecca Edwards, Elizabeth Patterson, Marie Rowe-Cousins |
Helen's brand of selflessness may have filtered through from her namesake aunt, Helen Alford, who despite being severely physically disabled after having to have both legs amputated as a child, spent more than a decade raising thousands of pounds for Thalidomide children in Brazil.
Front row left to right: Prefects; Rebecca Edwards, Elizabeth Patterson and Marie Rowe-Cousins, Mrs Kapoor, Mr Myers, Mrs Spokes and Helen Spokes.
