“THINKING of Joey and all he has been through pushed us to the finish line”

Those are the words of 10-year-old Joey Tildesley-Devine’s parents who ran the St Helens 10k together to thank the hospitals for saving their son’s life following a brain haemorrhage.

Joey, a Queen’s Park Primary pupil, walked into class on November 16, and developed a “strange taste in his mouth” and after getting up realised he lost his ability to talk and use his right arm.

Joey’s mum came to find him after being notified by school staff but by that time he had also lost the use of his right leg.

After parents Karen and Nick Devine rushed him to Whiston Hospital, they did scans which found that he had AVM, arteriovenous malformation, a tangle of abnormal and poorly formed blood vessels. He was rushed to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital and had emergency brain surgery to remove the blood vessels. He has had to learn how to talk and walk again.

To thank Alder Hey Children’s Hospital for saving their son, Karen and Nick took part in the St Helens 10k on Sunday alongside 17 others, including Joey’s school teachers, family and friends.

They crossed the finish line holding a sign for Joey, who is known as ‘Joey the Legend’.

Karen said: “Since all of this happened to Joey it has been so emotional, with really scary moments but also so grateful he is still here and is still Joey. I’ve run the 10k before, but I got an injury and shouldn’t run, but I was determined to do it for Joey.

“The atmosphere was fantastic and people were cheering Joey’s name on the way round. When I got to Victoria Park it got too much for me and I got emotional, but thinking of Joey and all he has been through pushed us to the finish line. He was so proud of us, he’s like a little celebrity really. I can’t thank everyone enough for running for Joey. It means everything.”

The family has raised more than £3,000 so far for Alder Hey Children’s Hospital.

To donate to it click here.