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Bubble boy died in mum's arms
Teenager Peter Morton died in his parents' arms an hour after they fulfilled his final wish.
The 15-year-old wanted only one last thing in life - to go back to his family home after spending four months living in a sterile bubble.
There, surrounded by those he loved the most, he lost his battle with an immune dysfunction disease.
>> Leave your tribute to Peter using the comment box at the bottom of this page
Immunology specialists tried everything to save Peter, including flying him to Holland twice to undergo pioneering stem cell treatment, admitting him to Newcastle General Hospital's bubble unit and giving him a bone marrow transplant.
Today, speaking just days after his tragic death, parents Alan and Janette told of their pride in their eldest son "who battled till the end."
Speaking at the family home in Town End Farm, Alan, 41, said: "He always had a smile on his face, even when he was really ill, he always had a smile for the nurses.
"He took everything in his stride and let us do the worrying. He made us brave like he was."
Although he was born seemingly healthy, by the age of nine the youngster had started to develop unexplained bruises.
Specialists at Sunderland Royal explained that Peter had a low platelet count and would need his spleen removed.
His parents hoped this may be the solution to Peter's condition, but by November 2006 he was experiencing more problems.
Doctors told the Mortons that Peter had been born with an immune dysfunction, meaning his body was killing healthy cells and preventing him from fighting infection.
Janette, 37, a teaching assistant at Bexhill Primary School, where Peter was a former pupil, explained: "In May 2007 they found small tumours in his head, neck and other places and said that the only thing that could help him was a bone marrow transplant. But even then he still wanted to live his life and play football. He also loved fishing and golf. He loved life."
Although doctors had found a perfect match for Peter's transplant, he developed a side effect known as graft versus host disease (GVHD), in which cells from transplanted bone marrow attacked his stomach.
It meant that the Castleview Pupil had to be admitted to a ward 23 at Newcastle General Hospital, a high-tech sterile space, where Alan and Janette had to thoroughly disinfect themselves before they saw their eldest son.
Peter had to give up playing his beloved football, which he played for Bexhill Boys, Castleview School and formerly Quincy's, and could only leave the unit for treatment - but still his parents said he never complained.
Although Peter, who dreamed of becoming a PE teacher, proved resistant to steroid treatment, a glimmer of hope came in August this year when the teenager was flown to Holland for stem cell treatment to help him fight GVHD.
He became only the second person in the country to have the treatment, but despite a second session in September, the disease proved too strong for Peter's weak system.
On September 26, he was admitted to Newcastle General's intensive care unit, but when staff realised they could do nothing more for him they helped his parents to take him home.
Janette, who is also mum to Adam, 11, said: "People criticise the NHS, but they were absolutely fantastic. On his lowest days, Peter said he just wanted to go home, so this was like granting his final wish.
"We put his bed downstairs and got him home at quarter to 10 in the morning on October 1. He died in our arms at quarter to 11."
Peter's funeral was held at St Bede's Church, Town End Farm, followed by a service at Sunderland Crematorium. Among the scores that attended was Peter's girlfriend Sarah Ebdon, 15.
His coffin was draped in a signed flag from his beloved SAFC and was filled with a school shirt signed by his friends and poems they had written in the popular lad's honour.
* Janette and Alan would like to thank friends and family for their support, all the staff on ward 23 and in the intensive care unit at Newcastle General, the air ambulance staff, Manor House Funeral Directors, Castleview School, SAFC and Denise Robertson, president of the Bubble Foundation.
>> Leave your tribute to Peter using the comment box below
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Friday 10 February 2012
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