'We were hoping for a miracle': Merthyr teenager who was '24 hours away from death' aces his GCSEs
"My heart was beating out of my chest with pride," Karen Edwards said upon hearing her son Iolo's GCSE results last week.
All parents are proud of their children's successes, but those feelings were intensified for Karen knowing that two years ago teenager Iolo required life-saving treatment for a bowel condition.
Iolo was given 24 hours to live in April 2018 when his body began "shutting down" due to major complications following his diagnosis.
Following a seven-hour operation to remove his bowel, Iolo faced a long journey to recovery, meaning he missed large amounts of school.
Then, in September 2020, he was diagnosed with a brain condition which caused him severe headaches.
Despite all the obstacles he has faced, the 16-year-old kept up his studies and gain five As and eight A*s in his GCSE exams."He's determined to do just as well in his A-Levels so he can pursue his dream of a career in the medical profession", his mother Karen said. "He's certainly got the character for it."
Mum-of-three Karen, from Merthyr Tydfil, said Iolo first started complaining of stomach problems in February 2018 at the age of 13, and was then sick five days in a row.
Doctors at Prince Charles Hospital suspected he may have ulcerative colitis - a serious inflammation of the lower end of the digestive system - and decided to transfer him for specialist care at the University Hospital of Wales (UHW) in Cardiff.
"Ulcerative colitis is normally quite a long, drawn-out illness and there tend to be periods of flare-ups and then recovery and remission, but Iolo had a very acute episode," Karen added."He was really into his boxing at the time and was due to have a fight in the April. He was super fit before all this happened and was training three times a week. It was horrendous".
Karen said doctors tried everything to save Iolo's bowel, but within weeks of being in hospital it started to affect his other organs."They call it a toxic megacolon. They pumped him with medication but there was no real way of saving his bowel," she explained."We were hoping for a miracle to happen. He was meant to have the operation on the Wednesday, but on the Monday his vitals were so low that they needed to take him down the following morning. He was meant to be in the operating theatre for three hours but it ended up being closer to seven. Every hour during his surgery just seemed like alifetime, but we can't thank the hospital enough - they saved our son's life."
As soon as he could, Iolo began throwing himself into charity work and continues to hold talks on his condition and how to use a stoma bag."Exactly a year to the day since he was taken into Noah's Ark he did a 100-mile bike ride from Merthyr to Brean Sands, with some dads and sons from Dowlais RFC, which raised a lot of money for the Noah's Ark Charity. He's quite keen to give back," Karen added.
In September 2020, Iolo was also diagnosed with a congenital brain condition which affects his eyes and gives him headaches but none of his ordeal stopped him from excelling in his studies at Ysgol Gyfun Rhydywaun, Penywaun, Cynon Valley.
"His school has been tremendous with him. They gave him his own toilet, they put £1,000 towards his charity efforts - they have been exceptional with him. My two daughters have also been amazing and really supportive."
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