Beach trip dream come true for brave little Filip

Sam, Filip, Agniszka and Weronika Gorski. Picture: Lisa Ferguson

Sam and Agniszka Gorski are on alert 24 hours a day, ready in case their son, Filip, suddenly suffers a seizure.

The six-year-old, who suffers from a rare form of epilepsy, can suffer up to ten seizures a day – anytime or anywhere.

His bedroom furniture is currently covered in foam to prevent him from hurting himself when he is having a fit, and his parents have had to cut down the amount of hours they work in order to care for him.

When his condition was first diagnosed in 2013, Filip was admitted to hospital more than 90 times and suffered more than 500 seizures a month, before doctors finally came up with a way to control his illness.

Now, the St Columba’s Primary School Pupil, from Bathgate, has a well-managed programme of medications and sticks to a strict lactose- and gluten-free diet which has reduced the average amount of seizures he suffers each month to just 80.

Filip’s dad, Sam, said: “Filip suffers from a rare type of epilepsy – it’s called myoclonic astatic epilepsy.

“He was only three when he took his first seizure in the car while we were out shopping one day. It took the doctors a few months to finally diagnose him, because all his tests kept coming back clear. When they did finally discover what was wrong, they said the Sick Kids hospital in Edinburgh only sees around one child a year with this condition.

“We were hoping it would be the type of epilepsy he will eventually grow out of, but we still don’t know at this stage if that will be the case.”

The family, which also includes daughter Weronika, four, recently embarked on their first holiday abroad since Filip’s diagnosis – to Zante in Greece – thanks to the Starlight Children’s Foundation, a wish-granting charity for children and young people with serious and terminal illness.

Filip loves going to the seaside in Scotland, but it had always been his dream to go to the beach abroad so he could swim in the sea.

His mum, Agniszka, said: “It really was a dream come true when we heard Filip’s wish was being granted.

“With Filip’s illness and special dietary requirements,  it’s hard to find somewhere that can accommodate his needs.

“He is such a brave little boy, he has gone through so much but he never complains – he’s our little hero.”

Sam added: “Other children that suffer from the same condition as Filip are chained to their beds, so we are very lucky.

“Seeing Filip so happy and relaxed in the water was so special – he didn’t have to worry about falling over and getting bruises, you could just see he felt free.”

A spokeswoman for Starlight Children’s Foundation said: “It was incredible to be able to grant Filip’s wish of a lifetime.

“A Starlight wish means so much to an ill child and creates precious memories for the child and their family.”

[email protected]