Two weeks after he was born, David Stevenson was taken to Sydenham Hospital after he started vomiting. Doctors at the hospital saved his life but David was in and out of hospital his entire life due to a rare bowel condition. David’s mum Lin became his carer at their home in Hayes. As he could not digest food properly, he was fed bags of liquid nutrients nightly through a line inserted in his chest. In its most general form, the condition is called chronic idiopathic pseudo obstruction.
David's mum says his sense of humour kept him going as he tried to live a normal life. Other friends talk about how he never complained about his condition. During 2007 David’s illness worsened and he was told by his doctors that he had up to only seven months to live. It was one of David’s dying wishes to swim with dolphins.
give2give donated £2,250 towards a three week break in Portugal for David and his mum. Amongst many other activities, whilst David was away he spent time swimming with dolphins. Sadly, in March 2008 David’s condition worsened and he passed away peacefully in St Christopher’s Hospice.
