A keen footballer who suffers from arthritis and a heart condition at just nine-years-old has now turned his attention to running in a bid to raise money for the people who helped him at Great Ormond Street Hospital.
Harvey Shailes, who lives with his mum Rachael, sister and brother in Butler Street, Hillingdon, was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis - linked to skin condition psoriasis and most common in middle aged people - at just four-years-old.
“He also has hypermobilty, so at school requires the use of pencil grips and a booster seat and he has an ongoing uveitis eye condition,” his mother explained.
“He had previously been on steroid drops for the condition, but Harvey now has to have a weekly injections which a community nurse gives to him at our house.”
The subcutaneous methotrexate injections are given to help keep the inflammatory arthritis under control - but they also help with Harvey’s eyes and skin too.
Before he was given the injections at home, he would be admitted three times a year at Great Ormond Street Hospital, where he was first diagnosed.
He still visits regularly for check-ups with “amazing” consultants, according to Ms Shailes.
“They have kindly trained me to give the injections in case this is ever needed, but they have quite severe side effects, like stomach pains and vomiting - which unfortunately Harvey has to contend with once a week.
“In general, unless very lucky, he misses most Fridays off school due to the side effects - which he really hates doing, because he loves school,” she said.
The family had come to terms with Harvey’s condition but a few months ago, he collapsed unexpectedly at home.
He has since been diagnosed with aortic stenosis, a narrowing of the aortic valve in the heart which restricts blood flow.
“My boy is a fighter and refuses to be beaten,” Ms Shailes said. “He still wants to do everything that his friends do. He has good and bad days, but we’re all still very optimistic for the future.”
A pupil at Highfield Primary School in Charville Lane West, Harvey is also a huge football fan and plays for Harefield United’s youth team.
At the team’s end of season presentation evening, the footballer even won the clubman award - now sitting in pride of place at home.
So determined is Harvey not to let his conditions hold him back, he has even decided to run a sponsored 5k to raise money for Great Ormond Street Hospital, as a thanks for the support they have given him and his family.
After the run Harvey’s grandad Kevin Moles is dusting off his football boots to join a team of over 35s at Harefield United to play a charity match to add to Harvey’s GOSH fund.
“He just wants to help raise money for the hospital that has helped him live as normal a life as is possible in his condition. We are all so grateful for the continued support GOSH provide,” his mum said.
“Both me and my boyfriend Mark have agreed to do the run with him, along with his older brother Taylor.
“We will try our best - but Harvey is so competitive I guarantee he will run the race of his life just to beat us all.”
To support Harvey in his run in Battersea Park on June 8, head to his online donation page .
