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Celebrity

18th Apr 2022

Bucks Fizz’s Jay Aston “almost lost” her daughter to meningitis

Sarah McKenna Barry

“I’ve been doing a lot of praying. She’s my world – we’re ridiculously close. I just couldn’t imagine being without her.”

Singer Jay Aston, who shot to fame as a member of Bucks Fizz in the 80s, has shared that her daughter is seriously ill with bacterial meningitis.

Appearing on Loose Women, Jay spoke about how her 18-year-old daughter Josie was rushed to hospital last month where she became very ill.

The singer explained that Josie called her mother and said that she had fever, severe joint pain and an aching neck. Jay attempted to bring the temperature down, and when this didn’t work, she phoned for an ambulance.

Jay said: “That was 6.45 pm, but the ambulance didn’t come. Her temperature reached almost 40. I started to get really worried. In the middle of the night, she said: ‘Mum, I’m not right.’ I saw red dots on her arm.”

She was able to recognise the signs of meningitis because her husband had the same illness before their daughter was born.

Soon, the rash spread to Josie’s entire body, and when she began exhibiting symptoms of organ failure, she was put into an induced coma. She was also given oxygen and treated with antibiotics.

A month after she became ill, the teenager remains in hospital in a specialist kidney unit.

Speaking on the ordeal, Jay said: “It’s been absolutely devastating. We were told it was 50/50 whether she would pull through. We still don’t know when she’ll be coming home.

“I sat by her bedside night after night willing her to make it. I couldn’t believe this was her fate, because she’s such a lovely person. She’s outgoing, kind, good-willed and full of life. It just felt so cruel.”

She went on: “I’ve been doing a lot of praying. She’s my world – we’re ridiculously close. I just couldn’t imagine being without her.”

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