Jesmin’s miracle recovery
Reporter: RICHARD HOOTON
Date published: 11 October 2010
Fight-for-life girl goes back to school
A PLUCKY teenager who was left fighting for her life after being knocked down by a lorry went back to school today after making a miracle recovery.
Jesmin Begum’s family had feared the worst after the 14-year-old battled intensive care for three weeks.
But they have now sent grateful thanks to Chronicle readers saying their kind thoughts aided a dramatic recovery that saw the girl return home a week ago and back to The Radclyffe School, Chadderton, today.
Jesmin’s distraught family had released a picture of the gravely ill girl in hospital to motivate a witness appeal to the horrific accident on Broadway, Chadderton, on September 2. They were told by doctors that if Jesmin did survive it was likely she would be left brain damaged.
Her mum was at her hospital bedside 24 hours a day with her three sisters and two brothers also keeping a vigil.
But they are amazed by her rapid progress and say the pretty schoolgirl is back to her happy and contented self.
Jesmin, from Main Road, Westwood, suffered serious head injuries, including a fractured skull, when she was struck by the HGV near to Hunt Lane on her way to Radclyffe for the first day back after the summer holidays.
“She is home and she is fully recovered,” declared her delighted brother, Mofozzul Choudhury (25), from Colwyn Street. “She’s happy and talking and doing everything she was before.
“We really thank and are grateful to the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital for looking after Jesmin and the people who have been wishing Jesmin a quick recovery and have have been praying and thought of Jesmin.
“They were quite surprised at the hospital at the way she has recovered. It’s been much faster than they thought she would do.
“First they said she would survive but she could be handicapped and then they said she may have to stay up to six months in hospital but dramatically she was only there for four weeks.”
While doctors cannot guarantee there will be no lasting effects they are confident she will fully recover.
Mr Choudhury said: “At the moment she seems to have a very small short-term memory loss but it’s a very small amount. She seems to forget things here and there but she can remember things later.’
After a meeting with the school it’s been agreed that Jesmin will have two lessons a day for two weeks before a two-week school holiday. The school will then check on her progress to decide whether she can begin lessons fully.
“They don’t want to put too much pressure on her and make her worse,” added Mr Choudhury.
Police are investigating but say there is no suggestion that the driver was at fault.
A campaign is under way to get a lollipop person back on Broadway and Mr Choudhury is campaigning for safer crossings near all Oldham schools.
He said: “The council should be more responsible and do something about it, including doing something to reduce the speed limit to 30mph at that stretch. Some young drivers will do more than the 40mph.
“I would really appreciate any member of the public wanting to support me with my campaign. It’s not for me but for the safety of future generations.”
Mr Choudhury can be contacted on 07904-022 334 or by e-mail at imranchoudhury@yahoo.co.uk.
