A FOUR-year-old boy from Parkstone who was left fighting for his life as a baby will be taking part in the Kid’s Kilometre, as part of Bournemouth Marathon, raising money and awareness for the Meningitis Research Foundation.

Having contracted sepsis and later developing meningitis as a new-born, Arthur Blake will be lining up on the start line of children’s race, which will take place at noon on Saturday October 5.

Jenny Blake, Arthur’s mum, said: “To go from what he was to what he is doing now is unbelievable.”

“He got into running a year or so ago. I took him to watch his older brother Henry run in the Upton House Junior Park Run. The next thing I know, he’s running in it as well. He wasn’t actually meant to be running but I couldn’t stop him.

“Since then he takes part in the Junior Park Run most weekends and he loves it.”

This comes just four years on from a truly life changing event for Jenny and Arthur as, during her second pregnancy, disaster struck.

In 2015, Jenny, 31, contracted sepsis during her pregnancy, and, after an emergency C-section, Arthur was born prematurely with sepsis and respiratory problems.

It was later confirmed that, at just nine days old, Arthur had developed meningitis. He spent over days in Poole NICU on ventilation being constantly monitored by hospital staff before he was discharged after three and a half weeks.

Jenny continued: “We call him our little soldier because of what he has gone through.”

“He has said to me that he would love to be a tank driver when he finishes school, which I think is very fitting as he is my little soldier. He really is a fantastic little boy who excels in anything he strives to try.

“Thankfully as far as life goes, he has been left relatively unscathed by his ordeal, he suffers with asthma, which is controlled, and he is still closely monitored by the fantastic staff at Poole hospital.”

Four years on, Arthur is set for his next personal challenge, having started at Livingstone Road Infant School.

He also wants to help spread the word about the meningitis and sepsis with his mum, so others don’t have to go through what they have.

“It is heart-warming to think how far he has come in just a few years,” Jenny said.

“I have been speaking with the Meningitis Research Foundation this week, as part of Meningitis awareness month, and they want to use Arthur’s story because it is so uplifting.

“A lot of stories do not end so well so it’s important that Arthur’s story gets told to show people who do suffer from the disease, and the wider public as well, that we do have survivors.

“It is not about the money he raises, although any money he does raise would be great, it is more about the awareness and making sure other parents are aware of the symptoms of sepsis and meningitis, so they are able to spot it.

“If people learn something they didn’t know after being told about sepsis and meningitis, then I believe I have achieved something that day.”