A SCHOOLBOY tragically died after developing a fast-spreading rash.
Now, a year later, the Middlesborough community and Luke Thomas’ school have come together to remember the popular five-year-old.
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Luke developed a fast-spreading rash in Autumn 2022 – but it was a symptom of an autoimmune disease he was only later diagnosed with.
The disease was vasculitis, a group of conditions that cause the immune system to attack healthy blood vessels, causing them to become swollen and narrow.
Luke was rushed to hospital, but he died on 12 January 2023.
At a gathering to mark the first anniversary of his death, family, teachers, and students dedicated a garden to little Luke’s memory.
The garden is within Caldicotes Primary Academy pupil grounds and the school chipped in to prepare the special space.
Helen Steele principal at Caldicotes said: “After consulting with the community, we decided to develop an area of our grounds into a memorial garden to dedicate to Luke.
“As winter turns to spring, we look forward to developing the blank canvas by planting an array of flowers, trees and shrubs and installing trellis and raised beds.
“Our pupils have already begun to individually paint rocks that will form the border of the garden’s path. All of this will ensure the space truly reflects Luke’s vibrancy, energy and enthusiasm.”
Everyone at the memorial wore multicoloured clothing to create a rainbow effect and sang a song in his memory.
Businesses also got involved in the project, including Scott Bros from Haverton Hill, which supported the memorial by providing a free skip service.
Blacksmith Adrian Wood crafted an archway for the garden entrance.
Countrywide Ground Maintenance and Thirteen, the social housing provider, also helped in the bush clearing process.
Peter Scott, managing director at Scott Bros, said: “We are honoured to have played a small part in what has been a fantastic effort to create this very special space that is a celebration and fitting tribute to Luke.”
Loose Women’s Andrea McLean revealed she had vasculitis in 2018, but was too scared to go to the doctors for follow-up tests.
What is vasculitis?
Vasculitis is the name of a group of conditions that cause inflammation of the blood vessels.
Inflammation is your immune system’s natural response to injury or infection. It causes swelling and can help the body deal with invading germs.
But in vasculitis the immune system attacks healthy blood vessels, causing them to become swollen and narrow.
This may be triggered by an infection, another underlying condition, or a medicine, although often the cause is unknown.
Vasculitis can range from a minor problem that just affects the skin, to a more serious illness that causes problems with organs like the heart or kidneys.
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