- Jessica Fay, from Burnley in Lancashire, caught meningitis and developed septacaemia when she was just 15-weeks-old
- Condition was so bad that doctors were not sure if she would pull through
- Thanks to blood transfusion Jessica survived but she has been left with minor brain damage and dyspraxia which affects her co-ordination
- Jessica has just won ‘Miss North-West Face of the Globe’, a natural beauty competition that does not involve wearing makeup
- She will take part in the world finals at Eurodisney later this year
By
Rachel Reilly
07:06 EST, 15 July 2013
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07:11 EST, 15 July 2013
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A little girl who narrowly escaped death after catching meningitis and developing septicaemia as a baby has become a successful model and been crowned queen at a beauty contest.
Six-year-old Jessica Fay was just 15-weeks-old when doctors thought she would not survive a deadly strain of meningococcal meningitis and blood poisoning.
But after a blood transfusion saved her life, the little girl has embarked on a successful modelling career and has just won the title of Miss North-West Face of the Globe.
Six-year-old Jessica Fay has gone on to win a natural beauty pageant after surviving meningitis and septicaemia. Her mother Laura Bell (pictured) said she knew she was ill when she developed a temperature and a rash at 15 weeks
Mother Laura Bell, said: ‘Jessica has gone from minutes away from death to a little princess on the catwalk, she’s such a star.
‘We thought we had lost her but she’s battled for what she loves most – being on the stage and showing everyone what she’s made of.
Meningitis has left Jessica with minor brain damage
and dyspraxia, a condition which affects her co-ordination and movement, but her mother said she is thriving.
Jessica Fay is pictured when she was in intensive care at Pendlebury Children’s Hospital in Manchester. It was here that she underwent her life-saving blood transfusion
Laura first noticed concerns for Jessica’s health when she was four-months-old and wouldn’t feed.
‘She was soon burning up,’ said the mother-of-five, from Burnley, in Lancashire. ‘It wasn’t long before she couldn’t open her eyes so we rushed her to hospital.
‘Jessica had a temperature of 40 degrees but as I changed her nappy I noticed spots had started to appear on her skin. I knew straight away it was meningitis.’
Blood tests confirmed Laura and dad Adam’s worst nightmare as doctors battled to save Jessica.
After being transferred to Pendlebury Children’s Hospital in Manchester, baby Jessica was kept in intensive care where she was given a life-saving blood transfusion.
At the age of two, Jessica (pictured at the most recent beauty contest, left, and enjoying the sunny weather over the weekend, right) took part in her first beauty contest. Shortly after she started work as a child model
Laura, 26, said: ‘They put us into a side room – it was dedicated to a little girl who died on the day Jessica was born. I thought it was a sign.
‘I was on the verge of falling apart but I knew I had to be strong for Jessica. I tried to learn about everything they were telling me so I could help my little girl get better.’
Amazingly just over a week after her blood transfusion, Jessica was allowed home.
‘It was incredible to have her home,’ Laura said. ‘Her blood was attacking her organs and would have carried on until she died if it hadn’t been for her blood transfusion.’
However just over a year later, at the age of two, Jessica took part in her first beauty pageant. She then began catalogue modelling.
The face of the Globe Competition does not involve wearing lots of make-up or having to perform tightly-rehearsed routines. Instead they wear a a piece of clothing that is the ‘colour of the rainbow’ (piectrued at the contest, left) and talk about their interests
After winning the North-West heat of the Face of the Globe competition, Jessica is to travel to Disneyland Paris in October to take part in the international finals.
The Face of the Globe competition is all about natural beauty, charisma and personality.
Laura said: ‘It’s a natural beauty pageant. Make up is not allowed. They just have to wear a dress that is a colour of the rainbow.
‘It’s just the children walking on, smiling. They say a bit about themselves and that’s it.
‘I didn’t want her to do anything where she had to wear make up or slap fake tan on. We aren’t like that.
‘She’s amazing, she’s so good at what she does and everyone just wants to mother her.
‘There will be contestants from all over the world at the competition in Paris but that won’t put Jessica off, she loves it and just gets on with it.
‘I think she likes to be on stage. She loves everyone clapping her and cheering. She gets so excited, she just enjoys everything about it.’
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Very sweet girl – looks just like mama.
else
,
chapel hill, USA,
15/7/2013 17:58
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Well done Jessica looking stunning i battled meningitis good to know theirs other survivors
shineystar45
,
london, United Kingdom,
15/7/2013 17:47
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Such a cutie
petite
,
Lagos, Nigeria,
15/7/2013 17:17
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You’re awesome Jessica! Well done!
Don’t ever let anyone or anything hold you back!
jessicarose
,
bournemouth,
15/7/2013 16:18
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Beautiful brave girl. Well done!
Jop
,
Doncaster, United Kingdom,
15/7/2013 15:36
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