Asher Meek

Help Asher Continue His Incredible Journey

Hello,

Thank you so much for taking the time to read about my amazing little boy, Asher.

Let me introduce Asher: he’s a 28-month-old boy who was born perfectly healthy, with no complications or special needs—just a cheeky, happy little chap. Life was good, and we had no idea how dramatically things would change in an instant.

The Day Our Lives Changed

On July 20th, 2022, the first day of the summer holidays, we were excited about spending family time with Asher and his two older brothers, Lelan (10) and Chase (6). But that day, Asher somehow managed to get into the garden, where we had a large paddling pool filled with water. Tragically, he got into the pool, and what happened next will stay with me forever.

I found him, and in the panic of the moment, I administered CPR and called for an ambulance, all while trying to keep his brothers calm. The emergency services were incredible, but Asher was airlifted to Bristol Children's Hospital, where he was placed into a drug-induced coma.

Asher’s Journey to Recovery

Asher spent the next seven months in hospital, starting in PICU. When he woke up, he couldn’t breathe on his own and had to remain on a ventilator. After two failed attempts to remove the ventilator, we were told things no parent should ever hear. We were told it might be the end.

Asher had suffered a hypoxic brain injury, affecting the movement part of his brain. This meant he could no longer walk, talk, or eat, and he faced numerous challenges, with severe dystonia being one of the most difficult.

However, our little fighter refused to give up. On the third and final attempt to extubate him, Asher did it—he started breathing on his own. From there, he moved to the HDU, where his breathing and movement began to improve. Eventually, he was transferred to the rehab ward, where he started daily rehab.

The Need for Ongoing Therapy

Now that we are home, Asher is thriving, but he still needs much more support to continue his progress. Unfortunately, the NHS can only provide one hour of therapy per week, which will only last for six weeks. This is not enough to help him reach his full potential.

That’s where we need your help. I’ve found an incredible private physio who offers hippotherapy—therapy on horseback—which would benefit Asher immensely. It would help him strengthen his core, with the hope that this could eventually help him sit unassisted, and one day, walk.

How You Can Help

The funds we raise will go directly to providing Asher with two hippotherapy sessions a week for an entire year. This therapy will give him the best possible chance at improving his movement and independence.

Asher is a true fighter. He’s determined, cheeky, and full of personality, and he has made incredible progress so far. With your support, we can help him continue this journey and give him the best chance at a brighter future.

Thank you for taking the time to read about Asher and for your kindness in supporting us.

With love and gratitude,

Asher’s Family

7.5% of all donations to Tree of Hope in relation to this appeal will be allocated to the general charitable purposes of Tree of Hope to cover our core operating costs.

If we raise insufficient funds, or surplus funds, then the funds will be used, if appropriate, to fund support for our child’s needs in accordance with Tree of Hope’s charitable objects. If in those circumstances we are unable to use all or part of the funds for the benefit of our child in accordance with Tree of Hope’s charitable objectives, then any funds that cannot be used will be transferred to be used for the general charitable purposes of Tree of Hope.