ChristineÂ’s prayers for brave brother (From Croydon Guardian)

ChristineÂ’s prayers for brave brother

12:30pm Wednesday 12th June 2002 in News By Joseph O Shea

LLike most girls her age, Christine Haddad will take her GCSE exams next year, but her studies have suffered since January when she learnt that her eight-year-old brother has an incurable illness.

Her father Robert said: "It is affecting her studies slightly, because she likes to spend as much time as she can with James. There are moments for all the family when we find ourselves lost in thought, so it's understandable, but the school has been a great support."

Christine now devotes much of her time after school to playing with James, when his friends are not there to keep him company.

She told the Guardian: "I find James normal but when he has any pains or is showing any sign of side effects like tiredness or complains about blurry vision I get very scared and don't know what to do. Sometimes I find it very hard to treat him as normal because I know that he has a serious illness."

She shows solidarity with her younger brother, by adopting his sugar-free diet, which is supplemented with 26 tablets including medicines each day.

She said: "Some of these foods taste awful but because James' appetite is not very good, I eat it to show him that it is good for him."

The last few months has brought the siblings closer together, with Christine often acting as an intermediary between James and her parents, when the strain of their situation shows.

She added: "James shares his problems and inner thoughts with me and I try to reassure him but deep in my heart I have a big problem accepting his condition. I get very scared when he has to go for check ups just in case things are worse, especially after an MRI scan."

Christine added "I pray to God every night to heal him and I tell James to pray as well, for him, Dad, Mum and everyone that needs our prayers."