Ben Smith's mum so proud of his legacy

[okarol]

Ben Smith's mum so proud of his legacy

By Anna Roberts

November 30, 2009

Since he died meningitis victim Ben Smith has been on a cruise and taken to the skies.

The 12-year-old’s mum Nicola Neilson agreed doctors could transplant some of the Whitley youngster’s organs to save the lives of others.

Speaking after her son’s inquest on Tuesday, Ms Neilson explained where Ben’s organs had gone and how proud she was of him.

Earlier action could have saved Ben Smith

She told getreading: “A 72-year-old man got Ben’s kidney. He is doing really, really well. He goes into town once a week and has been on a cruise.

“I like to think Ben has been on a cruise too. Another one of Ben’s organs went to a 33-year-old single mum. So now her children have their mum back.

“She works in the airlines and so I think Ben might be flying about, all over, too.

“Ben’s other kidney went to a young girl. She has stopped having dialysis and is now back at school.”

Ben’s heart remained with him. He had a rare blood type so doctors wanted to break it up but Ms Neilson, from Holberton Road, was not willing for this to happen.

“Before Ben I never thought of organ donation,” she said.

“But I am so glad I did it. I am proud of Ben, proud he is helping people.”

The 36-year-old said she found it comforting Ben’s death had led to something positive.

His maternal grandmother Sue Allen agreed.

Mrs Allen, from Whitley, said: “Ben was so special and now he is helping other people.”

His paternal grandmother Myrtle Smith said: “Ben had a lovely smile, such lovely dimples.”

The inquest at Oxford County Court confirmed Ben died of natural causes at Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital on Tuesday, February 24, a few days after becoming poorly.

But Oxfordshire coroner Nicholas Gardiner said there had been delays in diagnosing Ben’s meningitis.

If it had been detected earlier and he had been treated with antibiotics as soon as he was first admitted to Royal Berkshire Hospital, he would have had a better chance of survival.

The inquest heard the hospital has now changed its procedures.

Since Ben’s death his mum has raised more than £1,000 for charity Meningitis UK.

Charity chief executive Steve Dayman, whose son Spencer died of meningitis in 1982, said: “It’s always awful to hear about cases where a life could have been saved.

“To lose a child to a terrible disease like this is the biggest emotional challenge a parent can face and my heart goes out to Ben’s family.

“We encourage parents to be persistent with medical staff when they know their child’s seriously ill and this is exactly what his mum Nicola did. Unfortunately doctors left it hours before treating Ben with life-saving antibiotics.

“This tragedy emphasises the importance of early recognition, diagnosis and prompt treatment.”

For more information about Meningitis UK visit www.meningitisuk.org.

aroberts@reading-epost.co.uk

PHOTO BELOW: Ben Smith

http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/s/2061797_ben_smiths_mum_so_proud_of_his_legacy