Chloe’s Story
When Chloe was born in 2003, she was a healthy, full-term baby. For the first two weeks of her life, everything seemed normal. Then, on the day Chloe turned exactly two weeks old, something changed.
She woke later than usual for a feed. When her mother, Laura fed her, Chloe vomited everything back up. As the day went on, Chloe continued to seem unwell. She wasn’t waking properly and wouldn’t feed. Her mother took her to see a doctor, who told her it was likely colic. When Chloe failed to improve, she contacted the surgery again. Laura knew something wasn’t right.
As the hours passed, Chloe became increasingly unwell. Eventually, the doctor suggested that if they wanted reassurance, they could take her to hospital to be checked. The moment they arrived, everything changed.
Chloe was taken straight from her mother’s arms and rushed into a treatment room. Her parents were left waiting while doctors worked desperately to save their daughter. The news that followed was devastating.
A doctor explained that Chloe was having seizures and had become so critically ill that she needed to be sedated. The following morning, she would be transferred to Sheffield Children’s Hospital. Her mother spent the entire night at her bedside.
The next morning, Chloe was taken by ambulance to another hospital. Her family were advised not to follow directly in case her condition deteriorated during the journey.
It was the longest journey of her parents’ lives.
When they finally arrived in Sheffield, they were taken into a room and given heartbreaking news.
Chloe had died three times on the journey and had been resuscitated each time. The lack of oxygen to her brain had caused catastrophic injury. Scans showed severe brain damage, and doctors warned that if Chloe survived, she would likely never walk, talk, smile or have any meaningful awareness of the world around her.
“I didn’t care. I just needed her to fight.” says Laura.
Every day brought new challenges, new medications, new equipment and new complications. Chloe remained on life support while doctors continued to care for her. Eventually, believing there was little hope of recovery, a decision was made to withdraw life support.
But Chloe had other plans.
On the day her ventilator was switched off, her mother sat outside waiting to be called in.Then a doctor emerged.
“I don’t know how to say this, but go and see your daughter. She’s breathing on her own.”
Against all expectations, Chloe continued breathing independently. Her mother sat beside her and watched her miracle unfold.
“I was allowed to give her a bottle, and Chloe just got stronger and stronger.”
Eventually, Chloe was well enough to go home.
Her family had no way of knowing what the future would look like, only that their daughter had survived against all odds. Life after Group B Strep meningitis was far from easy.
The infection had caused significant brain injury, leaving Chloe with complex needs that would affect the rest of her life. She developed severe epilepsy and required ongoing support and care. Her family spent countless days and nights in hospital and fought repeatedly for the services, equipment and support she needed.
The impact extended to the whole family. Chloe’s siblings witnessed medical emergencies and saw their sister experience severe seizures. Family life often revolved around her care needs and hospital appointments.
The emotional impact has lasted just as long.
“My whole world has changed. I suffer with my mental health constantly.” explains Laura.
She describes a lifetime of grieving not only for the healthy baby she nearly lost, but also for the life Chloe might have had. “You’re constantly grieving the child you should have had, the life she should have had.”
Today, Chloe is an adult. She is now 23 years old, and her mother remains fiercely proud of everything she has overcome. Her mother often wonders whether things might have been different if Chloe’s illness had been recognised sooner.
“Would she be driving? Getting married? Having children? All of this I will never know.”
