A mum feared her young daughter wouldn't know who she was anymore after she underwent complex brain surgery.
The ECHO previously spoke to the family of Emily Andrew, from St Helens, who suffered from seizure epileptic seizures. In September 2021, Emily had just started primary school, and her family were looking at possible surgery to help ease her debilitating seizures.
Emily's condition was first discovered when she had to be rushed to hospital after having a "funny turn" when she was just ten-months-old. Emily's mum Jess Page said she "wasn't really herself", and that her head was "slightly dropped, she was dribbling, her lips were smacking and her eyes were glazed over."
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It was later discovered that Emily was having a seizure and she was diagnosed with epilepsy. Now six, Emily underwent complex surgery at Manchester Children's Hospital in April 2022- removing the right hippocampus area of her brain, in hopes of reducing the number of seizures she suffers with.
There were considerable risks with the surgery, and mum Jess feared her daughter wouldn't be able to speak or know who she is anymore. Jess added: "Obviously there's serious risks to any operation, but the fact she was having part of her brain removed, me and her dad kept thinking what if she woke up and didn't know who we are, or she couldn't talk.
"Her vision could also have been affected but luckily she never suffered any side effects. She's got to have one more eye test to test her peripheral vision but her vision seems to be great. The whole operation took seven hours, but it seemed like so much longer when me and her dad were waiting. Everyone in the hospital was great."
The surgery appears to have been successful Jess told the ECHO: "She hasn't had any seizures since. She is still on medication but will be weaned off it in April if she continues to be seizure free. Her behaviour and development has improved so much since she's been seizure free.
"Her talking is so much better. People used to have to ask me what she was saying but now she can actually have a proper conversation without people just agreeing with her because they don't know what to say. We're having a one year seizure-free party for her in April."
Emily was awarded the Pride of St Helens Charity Champion award after she helped raise £10,000 for Alder Hey Children's Hospital, where she was cared for.
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