Well wishers donate almost £2,000 in hours to help make home safe for brave Burnley teenager floored by two devastating strokes
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Jayden Taylor, who will celebrate his 16th birthday next month, has astounded medics at the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital with his courage and strength as he fights his way back to health after the devastating strokes caused by an arteriovenous malformation, known as an AVM, which is a a cluster of tangled veins and arteries in his brain.
His proud mum Wendy said: "Jayden has never let this get him down, he has just kept going.
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Hide Ad"He is a very funny and quick witted lad and he hasn't lost that sense of humour, even though he has been to hell and back."
Jayden collapsed at his school, Unity College, with his first bleed on the brain in November, 2020. A fit and healthy boy he complained of headache and sickness and when he became unresponsive headteacher Sally Cryer rang 999, a call that Wendy believes saved her son's life.
Jayden was rushed to hospital and, two scans later a catastrophic bleed was discovered in his brain stem and he was placed in a coma and taken tot the Royal Manchester children's hospital. He remained in intensive care in a coma for three weeks before he was taken to ward 78 for his rehabilitation.
As the bleed was in Jayden's brain stem doctors were not sure if he would ever be able to walk or speak again, but the brave teen made a fantastic recovery and was even able to return to school part-time where he was preparing for his mock exams.
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Hide AdWendy said: "Jayden recovered a lot better than expected and he was doing so well."
The second bleed occurred in January this year, a month after he had radiotherapy to shrink the AVM in his brain that caused the first bleed. The second bleed has caused hydrocephalus and left Jayden, who has a twin sister, Larissa, with a weakness in his left side. After five months, he still can't walk unaided and has remained in hospital for five months.
Currently in a wheelchair, Jayden has a frame to help him to walk along with assistance from Wendy. He is due to be discharged on June 1st.
She added: "The second time it happened Jayden was asking why and he felt all the work he had done to recover from the first bleed had been for nothing.
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Hide Ad"But we told him 'you did it once and you can do it again. ' "
A season ticket holder with Burnley FC, the club sent Jayden a signed shirt and he always wears his Clarets tops for all his physiotherapy sessions. He has become a firm favourite with staff at the Manchester hospital and Wendy said the family wanted to thank everyone on ward 78 for their magnificent care and support.
She added: "Every member f staff deserves recognition for all they do and for what they have done for Jayden and also for the support and care they have given to me.
"I will never forget them."
Wendy, who works as a cleaner at Rishton Methodist School, and her husband Mark, who is unable to work due to a range of health issues, launched a fund raising campaign which has raised the magnificent total of £1,620 in just 18 hours.
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Hide AdThe money will help pay for a specially adapted shower to be installed in their Rosehill home as their current bathroom is very inaccessible to Jayden due its size.
Wendy said: "We have a lot of unused space on the landing that we are hoping can be used to create the shower that Jayden can access from his bedroom.
"It's not a huge transformation, we just want Jayden to come home from hospital to a house that is safe and accessible."
After Jayden, who has an older brother Declan (22) suffered his first bleed the Taylors had a downstairs toilet installed. But they had to borrow money from a family friend to foot the bill after occupational therapy would not put a grant request in for it.
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Hide AdWendy said: "The toilet has been installed in the cupboard under the stairs and was done for Jayden so that if he is in the garden or downstairs he can access it quickly rather than having to face the stairs."
Wendy added that while the past 18 months had been 'horrific' for the family she was grateful for the help and support of family, friends and colleagues. And she has also thanked everyone who has donated to the fund.
She added: "Jayden's school have been fantastic and I can never thank Mrs Cryer enough for ringing 999 that first day as I believe she saved his life.
"My workplace have also been so supportive and told me my job is always there for me.
"This has meant the world to us as a family."
To make a donation to Jayden's fund please click HERE.