MADDISON'S STORY
About Maddison Sherwood
Maddison was diagnosed with an extremely rare condition when she was nine months old. It affects just 50 people worldwide and 95 per cent of youngsters born with the illness die before they are 18 months old. Against all odds, Maddison has staged an incredible recovery and she has recently started mainstream school.
The Sherwoods first felt there was something wrong when the club foot Maddison was born with did not correct itself. Then on February 16 2009 at six-months-old, Maddison was rushed into hospital having contracted respiratory syncytial virus. Due to her then unknown condition Maddison remained in intensive care until May because any cold or virus she caught would put her in a critical state.
It took doctors at Nottingham City Hospital and Queen's Medical Centre three more months to diagnose her with the ultra-rare spinal muscular atrophy with respiratory distress type 1 (SMARD1) . The condition causes sufferers difficulty in breathing and coughing, meaning even catching a cold can be life threatening.
When Maddison's condition was confirmed in May 2009 her parents were told to prepare for the worst. But remarkably just months after her diagnosis, Maddison was able to return home in time for Christmas. Nearly five years later she is living life to full and attending Lantern Lane Primary School, in East Leake, Nottingham.
Doctors also told Maddison’s parents that she would likely struggle with speech, but with some speech therapy, she has thrived, turning into a typically chatty five-year-old, even narrating her school play recently.
Maddison's parents Lidia, 28, and Jamie Sherwood, 30, from East Leake, Nottingham said doctors now say Maddisons her prognosis is good as she's demonstrating abailities in everything she shouldn't be able to do when compared to other known SMARD sufferers.
It was terrifying for Lidia and Jamie not knowing what was going to happen because they were told the worst - but then it didn't happen. Maddison has been so happy through all of it and determined. Anyone who meets her never forgets her. She is such a special little girl!
Maddison is overwhelmingly brave and confident for someone who has been through so much. She is doing really well at school and is one of the brightest pupils in her class. Her parents, teachers and doctors have high hopes for her future and having maintained a strong mindframe throughout Maddisons life it has helped Maddison grow in to a fantastic young girl. If you ask Maddison she'll tell you there's nothing wrong with her.
Consultant paediatrician Toni Wolff, from Nottingham City Hospital, said: "We thought she would get weaker and weaker and be miserable and uncomfortable. Doctors now say she is a ‘’phenomenon’’ and she has "completely proved them wrong." They even want to get her into a medical journal because she is such an inspiration to other children with the condition.
Maddison now has three treatments a day through a breathing machine because she can't cough so that helps prevent her getting any sort of lung infection whilst also attending clinics at Nottingham City Hospital every two months and uses a wheelchair to get around.
"She's taught us that children with SMARD can be very happy. ‘’
"She's flying really."
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