By Daisy Page

A baby was left fighting for his life after contracting a rare form of meningitis.

Henry Hutchinson, from Sheppey, was just six months old when he became unwell in December 2020.

His mum, Nicola Ridley, took him to the doctor’s but his illness was initially thought to be a viral infection.

Nicola's maternal instinct told her something was terribly wrong, however, and within days Henry's condition deteriorated dramatically.

His hands and feet became mottled, and his temperature soared to a critical 43.5°C. Paramedics rushed him to Medway Maritime Hospital, where a nurse recognised the signs of meningitis.

Hours later, after a failed attempt to perform a lumbar puncture, doctors discovered Henry's left pupil had blown – a sign of dangerous pressure building in his brain.

He was immediately transferred to King's College Hospital in London and placed on life support.

What followed was a gruelling two-month hospital stay, made even harder by Covid-19 restrictions that forced his parents to take weekly turns at his bedside, unable to support each other through their darkest hours.

The battle to save Henry was relentless.

“We'd think he was getting better, then he'd take 30 steps back,” Nicola recalled.

Multiple brain surgeries followed as doctors fought to manage the mounting pressure in his skull.

First, they placed a reservoir, a sort of balloon beneath his skull, to draw off fluid.

When that wasn't enough, Henry needed a permanent shunt fitted to drain the fluid automatically.

The illness left Henry, now four, profoundly deaf and paralysed down one side.

“He lost all his muscle tone from being in hospital so long. We had to teach him everything again – even how to
suck from a bottle,” Nicola said.

Yet Henry's spirit proved stronger than his struggles.
With months of therapy, he gradually regained his strength. Now, he's not just walking – he's running everywhere, and, though he hasn’t yet found his voice, has adapted remarkably to his cochlear implant.

“When he takes it off at bedtime, he falls asleep instantly,” Nicola says with a smile.

Inspired by Henry’s determination, grandfather David Pittaway is now embarking on an epic 1,000-mile cycle from Dover to Durness in honour of Ronald McDonald House.

Nicola explained how the charity, which provides free accommodation to families of children being treated at King’s College Hospital, had supported her family through their darkest days

“We had nowhere to stay; we live over an hour from the hospital,” Nicola explained.

“Then someone mentioned Ronald McDonald House. They didn’t just give us a room in their Camberwell House – they
thought about our whole family.

“They had asked about Henry’s siblings and surprised them with Christmas presents.

“They even made hampers for us. Who does that for people they've never met?”

David’s mission is to raise £5,000 – enough to dedicate a room in Henry’s name where other families can find refuge
in the future.

The 60-year-old retired armed forces veteran, from Sittingbourne, said: “I’ll be cycling about 80 miles a day but knowing we’re helping other families get the same amazing support that our family had – that’s what will keep me going when my legs are screaming on those Highland hills.”

The 13-day route, starting in mid-July, will take David from the gentle plains of eastern England to the Pennine hills and windswept Scottish coast.

Nicola added: “Ronald McDonald House was there for us during the scariest time of our lives. Having a room in Henry's name would mean we're helping make sure they can be there for others.”

Click here to donate.