12-year-old boy wins bronze medals at World Championships two weeks after stroke
A boy who suffered a stroke aged 12 has made a full recovery, thanks to the care he received at Nottingham Children’s Hospital.
Dan Wakelin, from Reading, had a stroke when he was competing at the British Dragon Boat Association event in Nottingham. He was admitted to QMC’s E40 Ward, part of the Nottingham Children’s Hospital, and was discharged just five days later with virtually no lasting side-effects.
Two weeks after being discharged, Dan travelled to Divonne-Les-Bains, France, to compete for Great Britain’s Under 18 squad at the Dragon Boat World Championships, where he won two bronze medals. Since then, he has been chosen to represent Great Britain at the European Championships in Brandenburg an der Havel, Germany, where he hopes to add to his medal collection.
This July, a year after his stroke, Dan returned to compete in the British Dragon Boat Association race on the River Trent. He raised £353 from a bucket collection on the day. The money Dan raised will go to Nottingham Hospitals Charity’s Big Appeal for the Children’s Hospital.
Grace Marston, Staff Nurse on Ward E40 who helped care for Dan during the short time he was on the ward, said: “He was a very determined young lad and we couldn’t be more proud of him for making a remarkable recovery in such a short space of time. It is fantastic that he was able to fundraise for Nottingham Hospitals Charity’s Big Appeal for the Children’s Hospital and we wish him all the luck for the European Dragon Boat Race Championships, as we shall be rooting for him from Ward E40!”
Siân Griffith, Nottingham Hospital Charity Fundraiser, said: “The money that Dan raised will be used to ensure that other children who face sudden and unexpected challenges and injuries have the same incredible care and comfort that he and his family received here in Nottingham Children's Hospital.”