There is a shock in store for Gemma and Chesney Brown next week as they finally get to the bottom of their son Joseph’s mysterious illness when he is diagnosed with Lyme Disease.
After weeks of worry, trips to the doctors and Gemma being removed from the house by social services under suspicion of deliberately poisoning the youngster, things take a dramatic turn when he collapses at home.
He is rushed to hospital where doctors tell his worried parents and grandparents that he has Lyme Disease, probably contracted from a tick bite whilst on a camping holiday.
They are relieved to discover it is treatable and he will make a good recovery.
Coronation Street has been working closely with Lyme Disease UK who have been consulted on scripts regarding symptoms and treatment.
Julia Knight is a retired Specialist Practitioner Paediatric Nurse in Community Nursing, who has experienced Lyme disease herself. She volunteers for the charity Lyme Disease UK as their Press and Community Outreach Manager, giving talks, interviews and writing articles to raise awareness of Lyme disease and how to prevent it.
Julia says “It has been my great pleasure to work with the Coronation Street script writers to give them advice and pointers so that they could produce a storyline that is both realistic and engaging. Lyme disease can easily be overlooked if a person only shows viral-type symptoms initially, as in the storyline. Raising awareness of the disease and giving people the information about how to prevent it is essential. With knowledge, bites can be prevented, and awareness of possible symptoms means that people who do contract the disease can seek medical advice promptly.
Please visit https://lymediseaseuk.com/ for further information.
2 comments:
Although I don't always go for issue/health based story lines, I think one about Lyme Disease is well worth doing. One friend was bitten by a tick in Hyde Park some years back and still suffers from recurrent symptoms. Another friend had to tell her GP what it was because she had been bitten before and this time had actually managed to trap the tick to show the GP!
Oh no not another 'issue'storyline?!Coronation Street is becoming less and less a soap opera and more of a medical drama!
I also wonder why did it have to be Joseph?Gemma is being featured too much lately with her own storyline and Paul's MIND storyline.
If it's not the Platts then it's the Winter-Brown family who are dominating episodes.
I bet within a few months Joseph's illness will be forgotten as well.
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