Profiles

Here, you can find any of the interviews on this site.



Clare

Clare's daughter, Eliza was diagnosed with 4q Deletion Syndrome. She has several chronic heart conditions, including bicuspid valve and aortic stenosis. She was also born with a cleft palate, and she was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome. Eliza's health has improved significantly since she had her first major heart surgery at the age of 4.

  • Background

    Clare works as a part-time teacher. She is married and has two children. Her daughter is 11 and her son is 9. Clare and her family are part of Unique,...

  • Age at interview 46
  • Sex/Gender Female

    • Gillian

    Gillian's daughter, Judith is 11 years old and has complex medical needs. At birth, she suffered severe oxygen deprivation causing hemiplegia. The hemiplegia affects the left part of her brain and it has led to cerebral palsy, visual impairment and sub clinical epilepsy. She takes Epilim for her epilepsy.

  • Background

    Gillian was born in Ghana, she studied history and she is married to a priest. She has an eleven years old daughter and she is a homemaker. Ethnic background: white...

  • Sex/Gender Female

    • Hazel

    Oscar is 11 years old, and he was born with multiple underlying conditions including heart problems, club foot and hydronephrosis of kidneys. Oscar has had two heart operations; one to repair a hole in his heart, the other was mitral valve surgery. He used to be on prophylactic antibiotics, which has improved his health. He cannot take them anymore because of his warfarin treatment.

  • Background

    Hazel works as a full-time PR director. She is married with two children, aged 11 and 7. Her eldest child, Oscar was born with multiple underlying conditions. Ethnicity: White English.

  • Age at interview 41
  • Sex/Gender Female

    • Rahma

    Rahma's son was diagnosed with asthma and he also has allergies, including egg allergy which has prevented him from having the flu vaccine. During the winter season, her son catches flu-like illnesses very frequently aggravating his asthma and resulting in chest infection problems. He is currently undergoing assessment for autism and mental health evaluation.

  • Background

    Rahma is a single parent with two children. She, herself, has health issues, including Type 2 diabetes, arthritis and high blood pressure. She is a homemaker. Ethnicity: Somali.

  • Age at interview 58
  • Sex/Gender Female

    • Michelle

    Jack has complex medical needs: Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (childhood epileptic encephalopathy), Arachhnoid Cyst, Chronic lung disease, Scoliosis, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and he is oxygen dependent. His parents have trained and do a lot of his therapies at home and are greatly supported by the community and hospital teams looking after Jack. In 2014 Jack was seriously ill with influenza and spent three weeks in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Six months after the influenza episode things are still settling down; his liver function tests are still abnormal and his blood pressure continues to be lower than before the flu episode.

  • Background

    Michelle has two sons aged 14 and 11. She is a full-time carer. Ethnic background: White British.

  • Age at interview 40
  • Sex/Gender Female

    • Nia

    Daniel was diagnosed with asthma when he was 8 months old. His asthma is now fairly well controlled (aged 11) but he suffers from a flu-like illness at least once every winter which makes his symptoms worse. Nia has noticed that a course of antibiotics can help him not become so unwell with an infection but is also concerned about the possibility of him building up resistance.

  • Background

    Nia is 27 and lives with her son who is 11 and her husband. She’s a lecturer. Ethnic background: White British.

  • Age at interview 27
  • Sex/Gender Female

    • Maria

    Maria's daughter Jade has experienced several episodes of flu or flu-like illness since being diagnosed with Diabetes Type 1 at 6. Maria manages the episodes at home as much as possible and would like more information from the health professionals of how at-risk children may be affected by flu or flu-like illness.

  • Background

    Maria is 48 and lives with her husband and 2 children. She works as a quality manager. Ethnic background: White British.

  • Age at interview 48
  • Sex/Gender Female