Former RAF Personnel Administrator Nancy Dixon and her ex-RAF Military Policeman husband Martin, who live in Southampton, have two daughters, Faith, ten, and seven-year-old Rose. Faith was diagnosed with Dravet syndrome, a rare and life-limiting neurological condition that causes severe seizures that are difficult to manage, when she was 15-months old.
As well as unpredictable seizures, Faith has global development delay and problems with her mobility, so must use her wheelchair most of the time. She needs constant monitoring so emergency medication can be given immediately in case of a seizure.
“It’s not all doom and gloom with her,” says mum Nancy. “She’s got a wicked sense of humour, and she gets on so well with her sister and her friends at the special needs school she goes to. She just carries on every day and just fights the condition.”
Nancy served in the RAF from 1991 and 1995, while Martin served between 1989 and 2013. After leaving the RAF, Nancy joined the Fire Service, but gave up work there to become Faith’s full-time carer, sleeping in her daughter’s room every night to ensure her safety.
Despite the challenges, Nancy and Martin are determined to make wonderful memories with both their daughters. One way to do that was with a family summer holiday, but this posed financial and logistical issues.
“Being on the one wage, holidays are very much a luxury we can’t really afford. It’s not always a break – it’s more like parenting in a different location – but we still need to get away as a family,” said Nancy
Nancy approached the RAF Association on the off chance that they might be able to help. The Association’s specialist team of highly trained caseworkers assessed the family’s needs and organised for Nancy and Martin to receive financial assistance from the Association, as well as additional grants from other organisations, including the RAF Benevolent Fund and the Royal Military Police Central Benevolent Fund.
RAF Association welfare casework volunteers work tirelessly to arrange practical support and organise specialist care and support for members of the RAF community who are in need. They take time to listen and treat everyone they support with dignity and thoughtfulness.
The funding meant that Nancy, Martin and the girls could enjoy that much-needed summer holiday as a family. They stayed at a holiday park in Dorset with adapted accommodation tailored for Faith’s complex needs. The grants also meant that the family had spending money for their holiday, which they used on fun activities for the girls.
“We were able to get her wheelchair in and out, and there was a wet room too, so it gave us peace of mind knowing that we could go away and not have any worries about Faith,” said Nancy.
“It’s so nice to know that the money was there to pay for the accommodation, and to be able to give the girls that lovely time – it means a lot.”
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