Former victim of meningitis sets sights on karting glory

Alex McDade, aged nine, of Huddersfield, contracted pneumococcal meningitis three days before his first birthday but now he has put his illness behind him and is taking part in the same karting class in which Formula One race stars Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton once competed.

His mother Joanne said: “Alex became ill just before his first birthday, he had no rash but an extremely high temperature so we took him into hospital fearing the worst but they sent him home.

“When he got no better we took him back again and they diagnosed pneumococcal meningitis.

“We were told he only had a 50/50 chance of surviving the night.

It was touch and go for a few days and he then spent a gruelling three weeks in hospital before he was finally allowed home.

“Alex races comer cadet class and got his first kart in October 2010, he came off his novice plates in February the month after he won his first race. The other boys that finish near the top have been karting for as long as four years and some never get a win, so Alex is doing really well.

“We never would have thought that he could achieve so much considering what he went through at such a young age,” she added.

Alex is celebrating a recent big win at the South Yorkshire Kart Club and it is hoped that he could now go on to achieve great things.

The manager of South Yorkshire Kart Club, Mark Baines, said: “For such a young boy so early into his career Alex has exceeded any level of expectations.

“To have had two wins, other podium finishes and be battling in the championship points is exceptional.”

Mr Baines said that if Alex kept progressing had every chance of being a national title contender.

When Alex was ill his family had support from the Meningitis Research Foundation, as at the time they knew very little about pneumococcal meningitis and wanted to find out as much about it as they could.

If you are concerned your child may have meningitis or want to know more about the symptoms please call Meningitis Research Foundation’s Freefone 24-hour helpline on 080 8800 3344 or visit www.meningitis.org. A free app, Meningitis Bug Blaster, can be downloaded from I-tunes.