KEEGAN UPDATE : 19 WEEKS ON : 15 AUGUST 2009

19 WEEKS HAVE PASSED………

Has there been any real progress?    Is there any real hope?  How long will this take?

Let’s take stock.    19 weeks ago at this precise moment, Keegan was lying in Intensive Care at the Mater Dei Hospital in Bulawayo .    Plans were in place to fly him by air ambulance to Johannesburg .      A specialist told me:   ‘Hmmm, the signs are all very bad.’

On arrival in Johannesburg close to midnight, specialists there gave him a 5% chance of surviving the first week.   This was not communicated to his parents until much later.

Today, Keegan is off all machines and living entirely on his own.   He is fed through a tube, but is also learning slowly to swallow for himself.

Here are some extracts of what Sally (his mother) wrote last week, after she had been away for a short while:

…..Changes are subtle but amazing…..

…..There is recognition of my voice…..

…..Believe he can hear and understand what is being said…..

…..His arms are much improved, but he has bad pressure sores on his left hand from the splints…..

 …..There is increased awareness…..

Keegan now spends time in the garden in his wheelchair.  Now if this isn’t progress….?

The only thing that hasn’t changed is the original prediction, maintained throughout, that this is going to be an awfully long and slow recovery.   Success was never achieved through quitting, and therefore the longer this takes, the stronger our resolve to see Keegan through and ensure he and his family receive the best possible  financial, moral, community and spiritual support.

Keegan has become a celebrity, but the real celebrities are the hundreds of people from around the World, who have supported the Trust and the Langley family in so many ways. 

Our raffle in the States has now run its course, all 250 tickets were sold, and the draw took place yesterday at 12.00 noon in Bulawayo , supervised by the Trust’s honorary auditor.    The winning ticket was no. 17, from San Antonio Texas (name withheld until permission received to publish).

Money raised through this raffle was $62,500.    We are indebted o all those who supported the cause – thank you all so much for making a difference.    Special mention must be made of Jennifer Ryan in the USA who administered the entire exercise, without her untiring efforts nothing would have worked.

The Trust’s finances are subject to audit, and our first set of accounts (up to the end of July) will be published shortly.    The healthy financial position has given our tireless fund-raisers a short breathing space.     The next major event is golf day and dinner to be held in George ( Eastern Cape , RSA) on 13 November.    Planning of further events, hopefully with new ideas, will be required early next year.

 In closing this update, I would once again just like to record the Trust’s extreme gratitude to all of you who have been responsible for turning this tragedy around.   It is too early to claim that tragedy has been turned into triumph, but perhaps one day not too far off…….

Thank you.

UNTIL NEXT TIME………