Parents call for help for brain-injured daughter

A family is calling for greater support to help care for their 18-year-old daughter after she suffered a catastrophic cardiac arrest which left her with serious brain damage.

Rubie Boyton's mother and stepfather have given up their jobs to become her full-time carers since she returned home in Ashford, Kent, in December after 18 months in hospital.

Her stepfather, Simon Head, said: "More physiotherapy would be fantastic for Rubie and access to other forms of help."

Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust, which is responsible for Rubie's care, says: "Our teams work really closely with families to provide the right level of care for a patient's specific needs."

On 11 May 2024, when Rubie was 16, she suffered a ventricular fibrillation, due to a rare cardiac condition, and she developed dystonia, where muscles in the body contract involuntarily, meaning the brain was deprived of oxygen for 31 minutes.

She had a hypoxic ischemic brain injury and is now unable to walk, talk, eat, drink, move voluntarily or sit unaided.

Head says having a child critically ill is "the most horrible feeling you could ever get as a parent".

He said: "Since we've been home in December we have had three visits from a physio."

Head explained: "We have had to pay for private physios because we're not getting anywhere near the support Rubie needs."

A fundraiser was set to help support the family, including with their plans to extend their home to support Rubie.

With volunteers and donations they built Rubie a specialised bedroom, a wet room and patio.

Dan Boalch, from Prestige Property Solutions, who has been doing renovations to help those in need since 2020, said: "Anyone can help if you put your hand to it.

"If what we do gives them temporary relief, or takes a bit of stress off their backs, that's amazing."

Rachel Dalton, from the Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust, says: "Children and young people with needs like Rubie are supported by our Children's Therapies Team and receive a comprehensive package of care, which includes speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and physiotherapy.

"Patients will also be referred for a package of continuing healthcare to support their ongoing health needs, at home."

She says the trust remains "fully committed to supporting Rubie" and her family.

Follow BBC Kent on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram and listen to BBC Radio Kent on Sounds. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.