A HAIRDRESSER whose little boy's life was saved at York Hospital's children's ward is raising money for the Guardian Angel's appeal.

Leanne Lazenby, 33, feared the worst when her two-year-old son Kian Oliver was rushed to hospital with bacterial meningitis last year.

As his condition deteriorated, doctors considered sending him to Newcastle to receive high-dependency care.

Luckily, they were able to treat him in York and after two weeks, Kian received a clean bill of health.

Now his parents Leanne and Tyrone, of Hull Road, have pledged to help other families avoid a similar situation by helping us raise £300,000 to build a two-bedded paediatric high-dependency unit.

"My friend lost her little girl to meningitis, so I've always been very aware of meningitis and always looked out for the symptoms," said Leanne.

"The day before Kian was ill he was fine; he was running around as normal.

"He woke up at 3am the next day crying, but he didn't have a rash and he didn't mind looking at the light and his temperature started to come down so I thought he just had a bug.

"Within 12 hours he was unconscious. He literally deteriorated in a few hours.

"I owe everything to our GP who realised how ill he was straight away."

Kian, now three, spent five days receiving high-dependency care in a room opposite the nurses' station.

"When you hear your child's got meningitis you don't think they're going to recover, you think they're going to die," she Leanne.

"When his brothers came to see him they sobbed because he looked so poorly surrounded by all the equipment.

"The thought of him being transferred to Newcastle with no family about was awful, especially with having other children as it would have been impossible to ship the other boys over to Newcastle as well."

Leanne will donate 50 per cent of next Wednesday's takings from her salon, Mr Snips, in Yarburgh Way, Badger Hill, to the Guardian Angels appeal.

No appointments are necessary.

Tyrone has already pledged £30 from his business, DJ Ollie's mobile discos. Leanne urged Evening Press readers to support Guardian Angels.

She said: "You never think it will happen to you; I never thought one of my children would have a serious illness but it really does open your eyes.

"Guardian Angels will make such a difference."

Does your child owe its life to York Hospital's children's ward? Would you like to share your story to help boost our appeal? Phone our newsdesk on 01904 653051 or email us at newsdesk@ycp.co.uk

To make a donation, send a cheque or postal order made out to the Guardian Angels appeal, Charlotte Percival, Newsroom, Evening Press, 76-86 Walmgate, York, YO1 9YN.

Please include your name and address on the back of the envelope.

The appeal's aims

OUR £300,000 Evening press Guardian Angels appeal aims to transform high-dependency care on York Hospital's children's ward.

We need your money to fund two life-saving high-dependency rooms with new, specialised equipment. This unit would be the first of its kind in the region that could deal with youngsters arriving as emergencies.

These children could be suffering from illnesses including meningitis, viral chest infections and physical injuries.

They are given the best care possible with the facilities available, but with your help, we could make it better.

Updated: 09:21 Tuesday, October 18, 2005