In late November 2001, our 6 year old son, Joshua Scarlett-Abbott was taken ill with breathing difficulties, following an initial chickenpox infection. Josh spent 5 days at Scarborough District Hospital, during which time his breathing deteriorated to such a point that he was placed on a ventilator in intensive care.

Joshua’s lungs had become very infected with what at that time was considered to be a severe lung infection.

Joshua’s position became critical, and following consultation with a number of hospitals around the UK, the decision was taken to send Josh to Glenfield Hospital Paediatric Intensive Care in Leicester, where he could be placed on life support system called ECMO (Extra Corporeal Membrane Oxygenation).

This basically is a bypass system used to allow either the heart, lungs or both to get a break from mechanical ventilation, while the blood is oxygenated outside of the body.

Due to the lack of Paediatric Ambulance facilities, Josh was finally airlifted by RAF Sea King helicopter on December 1st 2001, from Scarborough to Glenfield Hospital in Leicester, which is one of only 3 hospitals in the UK who offer the ECMO, and is the leading centre for ECMO in the world.

After 4 weeks in Leicester, Joshua began to make a recovery from his initial breathing problems, but unfortunately he was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins 'T' Cell Anaplastic Lymphoma, which is a very rare and extremely aggressive kind form of children's cancer. He was then moved back to St James's Hospital in Leeds, where he underwent a year of very intensive chemotherapy and stem cell replacement therapy.

Unfortunately, after a very brave and long battle, Josh died on 21 October at Martin House Children's Hospice in Boston Spa, aged 71/2. As I am sure you can imagine, our lives are now devastated.

He was the bravest ‘man’ we have ever known, and we are privileged to have had him as our son.

Our lives and many others will never be the same again. He was a such a very special boy and has left a massive void.