July was Strep B Awareness Month, an annual campaign to highlight the importance of Strep B awareness, education and research. During this period, the main aim of the charity Group B Strep Support (GBSS) is to get as many people as possible involved in raising awareness and funds for Strep B education and prevention.
Sadly, the first time many families hear about Strep B is when their baby becomes seriously ill with Strep B meningitis, sepsis or pneumonia. We all want that to change.
This year’s awareness month has felt more important than ever, with the charity battling to get their voice heard as they struggle against the difficulties of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This article explains a bit more about the great work of GBSS, introduces you to our brilliant and brave client Grayson, and explains how we’ve been getting some fitness in to help with the fundraising.
A chat with GBSS
This has been a year like no other, and GBSS has needed to adapt to be able to keep offering the invaluable support service that many people rely on. We spoke to GBSS Policy and Public Affairs Manager, Oliver Plumb, to find out how they’ve been getting on.
What does GBSS do to reduce the number of group B strep infections?
Oliver: The charity works to reduce group B strep infections by helping doctors and midwives improve their knowledge of group B strep and current clinical best practice. We work with politicians, key policy makers and medical bodies to improve NHS and Government policy around GBS. Finally, as you’ve already mentioned, we raise awareness of group B strep amongst expectant and new parents, with a focus on how to prevent these infections in babies.
What does the future look like for a post-COVID GBSS?
Oliver: Like many other charities, GBSS has seen a significant drop in income during 2020, so has had to limit some of our planned activities. We’ve been able to move most of our information provision services online, and our helplines have seen more enquiries than ever. Post-COVID, the charity will continue our focus on improving our digital offering and support services.
How can people get involved to raise awareness going forward?
Oliver: Sharing the charity’s social media posts is a great way of raising awareness but ultimately a little bit of help can go a long way. People can engage with their local parliamentarians, talk to their local hospital about using the charity’s free information materials, and take our awareness packs to local children’s centres, GP surgeries, and antenatal clinics. The more people that know about group B strep, the better chance we have of reducing the number of seriously ill babies each year.
How great is Grayson?
Our client Grayson Harris had group B strep as a new born, causing him to suffer meningitis. As a result of the illness, he has global development delay and has cognitive and behavioural problems.
Since his diagnosis, our specialist solicitors have been helping the family access specialist therapies and the support he requires. As Grayson gets older, his family are finding out more about the extent of his global development delay and how it affects him. Sadly, he’s behind other children of his age and isn’t reaching the same milestones with his development, language and his awareness.
Despite this, now four-year-old Grayson and his mum Bethany Ford, 24, walked or ran at least one mile a day throughout July, to raise awareness and vital funds for GBSS, taking on their Steps Against Strep challenge.
Bethany explains: "Grayson lacks spatial awareness and falls over quite a lot. He has cuts and bruises up his arms and legs as a result. But when we saw what Captain Tom achieved it inspired us to do our little bit to help those who’ve supported us."
"It was a really big challenge for Grayson and I can’t be any prouder of the way he took to it. We’re so grateful to everyone who has supported Grayson either through encouraging him or through donations. It means so much to us."
You can watch Grayson’s video here.
Time for our colleagues to step up
A group of our colleagues were inspired by Grayson and got involved to show their support as Alexandra Evans, one of our legal experts, explains:
"As a longstanding supporter of GBSS we’ve been proud to support its awareness month. 38 of my colleagues from across the country took part to help raise awareness and together we achieved more than 2,500,000 steps and raised over £1,000 for the charity."
"The current climate has made it all too easy to forget to take those important breaks and get out into the fresh air. I’ve loved seeing how #StepsAgainstStrep has encouraged my colleagues and I to get outside and active, if not a little competitive to get the highest steps."
You can find out more about the fantastic work of GBSS here.
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