Fundraising for Meningitis Research Foundation by family and staff at Hair Design by Pina, in North Muskham, to leave lasting legacy for 10-week-old Tommy Gillman who died in 2022 after contracting rare meningitis strain Salmonella Brandenburg
With help from friends and colleagues, the grandmother of a ten-week-old boy who died from a rare disease has raised thousands of pounds for research in his memory.
Tommy Gillman died in December 2022 after contracting a rare strain of meningitis known as Salmonella Brandenburg while in hospital — he was just ten-weeks-old.
His death left a lasting impact on the community which rallied around the family in support.
Tommy’s grandma, Sara Gillman, and the staff at Hair Design by Pina, in North Muskham, have presented a cheque for £1574.50 to the Meningitis Research Foundation with the hope that other families won’t have to suffer the same heart break and a lasting legacy can be left in Tommy’s name.
Together they raised the money through raffles and with the help of students from the North Muskham Primary School who collected donations through carol singing.
Sara said: “When you go through a loss you don’t know how you’re going to get through the first ten minutes, but then you make it to an hour, then a day and then suddenly it’s been a year.
“Friends and family help you through it, they’re the ones holding you up when to feel like falling down and the girls here at the salon have been fantastic.
“Fundraising gives you something to focus on. It won’t bring Tommy back but we do what we can and hopefully other families won’t have to go through what we are now.
“I didn’t know a lot about meningitis before this, but it soon became apparent that we needed to raise awareness as well as money and if raising that awareness helps save another life it’ll be worthwhile.”
The family hope to continue fundraising for the cause, with Tommy’s dad, Charlie Gillman, due to run in the London Marathon later this year.
“Tommy’s parents, Tamzin and Charlie have such an immense strength, they’re the strongest people I’ve ever met,” said Sara.
“Grief is a really hard thing to understand, it feels as though a part of you has been taken away.
“It’s such a sad thing to go through, but it’s about finding a sense of purpose and not fading away, not giving in and trying to help someone else.
“Charlie said to me, he wants to do as many things as possible because Tommy can’t.”
An inquest into Tommy’s death is due to take place this March or April, with no fixed date, to investigate if failings in care at King’s Mill Hospital contributed towards his death.
Anyone with concerns about meningitis should first contact a medical professional, but the Meningitis Research Foundation are on hand to offer advice and support. Contact: helpline@meningitis.org or phone, 080 8800 3344.