Birthday card plea for Faversham baby not expected to live past two

By: Jack Dyson jdyson@thekmgroup.co.uk

Published: 09:46, 28 May 2021

Updated: 09:47, 28 May 2021

Well-wishers are being urged to send cards to a terminally ill baby – in a bid to make his first birthday as special as possible.

Little Thomas Fryer, from Faversham, was born last year with lissencephaly, a life-limiting brain condition that affects just one in 100,000 children.

Jasmine Legg with her young son Thomas Fryer, who is battling a rare life-limiting condition called lissencephaly

Doctors doubt he will ever be able to walk, talk or feed properly, and say it is unlikely he will live past the age of two.

Before he turns one on Tuesday, mum Jasmine Legg has launched an appeal for people to send cards to help the family mark the special day.

The 29-year-old said: “We don’t know how many birthdays we’ll have with him, so with it being his first one, I just wanted to make it as special as possible.

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"We hope we’ll have more, but you never know. He loves bright colours and seeing the cards.”

Thomas’s parents were told of his condition five days after he was born.

Faversham toddler Thomas Fryer has been admitted to hospital nine times

In his short life, the brave boy has stayed overnight in hospital nine times, including with a collapsed lung earlier this month.

He was at the William Harvey in Ashford for two nights this week, after suffering breathing problems and being diagnosed with pneumonia.

“Thomas is really happy and has gone through a lot in his first year,” Jasmine added.

“He’s really brave and takes everything in his stride.

“He catches things so easily and it’s hard for him to fight it off. He also gets seizures – I’ve had to call an ambulance a few times when a seizure won’t stop.

Faversham toddler Thomas Fryer with older brothers Jayden, nine, and Frankie, four

“It’s scary. It’s hard to explain how gut-wrenching it is to see your child go through that.”

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Thomas returned to the family home in Charles Drayson Court on Wednesday.

The mum-of-three has already received about 40 cards from well-wishers, but says it would make the day extra special for Thomas and his older brothers Jayden, nine, and Frankie, four, if even more were to arrive.

“It’s memories for his brothers as well. They love seeing he’s so loved,” Jasmine continued.

“It means such a lot to them and they get so excited when the cards come through. They’re really excited to sit with Thomas and help him open them.”