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Cameron Mathieson

Five year old Cameron Mathieson has unfortunately had to spend nearly three quarters of his life living in Alder Hey Children's Hospital. Cameron suffers from not one, but four conditions which together have a major impact on his quality of life.

Cameron was just three days old when he first arrived at Alder Hey Children's Hospital. A few days later he was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis, an inherited condition affecting the glands that produce body fluids or secretions, hindering the function of important organs.

Asked what it was like when Cameron was diagnosed, father Craig said: "Like the end of the world. Like being in free fall. Like hell."

Unfortunately for Cameron, this was just the start of his medical problems. When Cameron was two years old, his parents Craig and Lynette received more devastating news when he was diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a condition which affects the muscles making them weak resulting in limited mobility.

However, there was further bad news to come. After having nine operations to remove various blockages and adhesions in his gut caused by his Cystic Fibrosis, Cameron developed a condition called Short Gut Syndrome. As he has less than one metre of bowel left, less than is needed to live a normal life, he is now mainly dependent on intravenous feeding.

Despite all this, Cameron remains a happy, bubbly and upbeat little boy who never complains about the challenges he faces.

Dad Craig commented: "He's a fighter for certain. He spends his every waking moment making us smile."

Luckily, Cameron is now able to spend much more time at home with his family as his parents have been trained to care for him and been provided with the support needed at home to help him. However he still visits Alder Hey on a regular basis for appointments and also frequently has to have in-patient stays for specific treatments that can't be done at home.

Asked about their experience at Alder Hey, Cameron's parents Craig and Lynette said: "To be honest, it's not something we would have chosen and it's something we've learned to make the best of, after all who can say that they enjoy their child being ill? However, if Cam has to go to hospital and we have to work alongside a group of professionals to try and keep him well and able to enjoy his life as much as he does, then there's nowhere else on Earth that we'd choose and no one else on Earth that we'd trust as we trust the staff at Alder Hey.

"From Cameron's point of view, he has an extended family of nurses, doctors, surgeons, student nurses, carers, cleaners, chefs, physiotherapists and specialists who he loves as much as he feels loved by them."