A FAMILY has paid tribute to a 24-year-old with a “zest for life”.
Adam Kelly, from Farnworth, died surrounded by family at the Royal Manchester Hospital three years after being diagnosed with Wegener’s Granulomatosis, a rare condition affecting different organs and systems in the body.
The condition caused kidney failure, and his mother, Janette Lawson, gave him a life-saving donation in September, 2011. Despite bouncing back from the operation and being in good health, he went into hospital with an infection last July and died on Saturday, January 5.
The former Mount St Joseph’s pupil was described as a kind person who was always honest. Mrs Lawson, a chemist supervisor dispenser, said: “He was well mannered, hard-working, friendly, funny and sensible. “He matured into a handsome, sensible, polite, young man but still maintained a youthfulness and zest for life and having fun. “There'd never be any problems with Adam. He was up front and honest and did the right thing.” After leaving high school, Adam attended Pendleton College, where he studied art and later discovered a love for New York after visiting the city with friends.He had planned to return to the USA last year but was forced to cancel the trip due to his illness. Mrs Lawson said despite Adam being ill over Christmas he made sure his two young brothers, Jordan and Brandon, received gifts he bought off the internet from his hospital bed. Just days before he died he jokingly texted his mother saying he wanted turkey and stuffing sandwiches. His family said they were devastated when they were told several days later he had just hours to live when they thought he was on the road to recovery. John Lawson, Adam’s father, said: “Even though it hurts you can understand people dying that have lived a life and passed away. But to take away Adam in his prime before he’s lived his life, through no injury, accident, or fault of his own is cruel beyond words.” Many of Adam’s friends attended his funeral at Overdale West Chapel. Two of Adam’s favourite songs, Pink’s Who Knew and Flo Rida’s Club Can’t Handle Me, were played at the service. He leaves his parents, siblings Cathryn, aged 28, Stephen, aged 26, Jordan, aged 12, and Brandon, aged nine.
Written by
Dave_Buzzey_B
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He sounds like such a wonderful, dear sweet young man. I feel so sad in my heart that this happened to someone so very special. I believe that there is more than this life, there has to be and that Adam is just a breathe away and that God has another Angel to help and he's watching down on his family now. Blessings to Adams family and loved ones, may their hearts heal through all of this.
How sad that has life ended so soon. I complain at my age about having MPA this kind of puts it all in perspective.. So I will shut up and put up. My thoughts are with Adams family. How we all wish there could be more study into this disease wich has so many off shoots .
I put this story up with a view to us suffers of WG and other types of Vasculittus as a reminder that we should not take any infections or illnesses lightly. Most of us (especially me) usually will not seek help until we are absolutely at the end of our tether. Something that anyone with any form of immune disorder cannot afford to do, This newspaper article really brought this home to me. I am not saying that is what Andy did, I am just saying it should serve as a reminder for us stubborn people and as a warning to those who are newly diagnosed with any immune suppressed disorder. Although my heart does go out to Andy's family and friends and I send my deepest sympathies to them,
RIP Adam. Totally support your reminder Dave as I delayed seeking help and had to be admitted via A&E, thankfully just overnight. Unfortunately the nature of the disease can lull you into 'it's just a niggle and should pass' mentallity, which were my thoughts at the time despite family saying otherwise.
Vasculitus is in its youth as far disorders and conditions go, which is why its so hard to diagnose, (I went through a whole gambit of wrong diagnosise's before, three years later after blood test and a biopsy they finally diagnosed me with it). The other things that makes it harder to diagnose is because there as so many of shoots and forms of it and believe it or not there are still some doctors out there that don't believe it one illnesses but a coalition of separate illnesses lumped together and called by one name, with these problems against us unfortunately some people will get other illnesses on top which will prove fatal before they even get a main diagnosis. This is why we desperately need to educate people on this condition and on how lethal it can be in its severe forms if not checked, but the worst thing about this illness is that you look so well so the people around you don't realise just how ill you are, Maybe we need some big event like live aid band aid and maybe call it vasculitus aid before we are taken seriously.
I totally agree with you Dave. I get fed up with people telling me how well I look, if only they knew Much more awareness/education needs to happen and I think John & Susan Mills are doing so much to address that problem. A Vasculitis Aid sounds a wonderful idea but even then, unless you have this disease or know somebody with it many people, sadly, wouldn't be interested yet. What is need is for the national press/media to get involved,
It is a difficult one this...some patients with some of the rarer types of Vasculitis do not see themselves with having the same illness as someone with WG MPA or CSS.... when the SSVT began in the 1990's it was just for people with WG...until it became apparent there are different types and different variations of the condition... 40 years ago everyone diagnosed with Vasculitis would have most certainly died within a couple of years.
The Consultants are only just getting to grips with Vasculitis...and are trying very hard to improve things for the patient with Vasculitis....This is why John is working with them all the time....
There are actors and sports personalities out there with Vasculitis, there is Film Producer out there with Vasculitis, do they do anything to raise awareness? not a lot or not at all...
We find that people diagnosed with Vasculitis are usually in denial in the first few years of being diagnosed trying to get back to a normal life as possible... some failing to do so..some manage to get back to work......
...some people are so ill and tired and even disabled they struggle with the day to day task of living let alone trying to raise awareness... even families of people with Vasculitis do not understand and find it hard to come to terms with the illness....especially as you say on the outside you don't look ill..... many marriages fall apart... siblings don't understand... parents struggle to understand...work colleagues and employers have not a clue and don't usually understand.... we have even had a nurse been accused by her Ward Manager that she looked quite well and that she was taking too much time off...
The problem with the press, media and TV they are only interested for one day... and it is soon forgotton...until the next headline...and because Vasculitis is rare...it does not have the same coverage or impact as someone who has been diagnosed with Cancer.
But although it does not feel like it sometimes things are improving, especially this last 2 years and most definitely this last year, both with the medical profession and the public...also more and more people are being diagnosed and more younger people are being diagnosed .... there are 6 people with WG in a 15 mile area of where we live... the youngest was 10 years old when diagnosed ... the oldest was in her 60's, John was 57....
But as Patricia keeps telling me... "Onwards and Upwards Susan" and I do feel we are beginning to make a difference...
Sorry, I didn't finish my original reply because I pressed a button and ended up somewhere else??!? Then I had to go to GP appointment and didn't even realise that it had been posted as I thought I'd lost it
Anyway, what I wanted to end with was - what is needed is some national press coverage but unless there is somebody well known with this disease then they wouldn't be interested.
Like you have stated Susan, they are very unlikely to admit that they have Vasculitis. It's like it has some sort of stigma attached to it?? Yourself, John and all the trustees, as well as many of us with Vasculitis, do everything we can to raise awareness and I have noticed a huge difference since my diagnosis just under two years ago. Some of my friends have taken quite an interest in it too, purely because I keep talking to them about what the latest news is etc :
Word is spreading and we have a little way to go yet but we will get there! As Patricia told you Susan - onwards and upwards
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Much more awareness/education needs to happen and I think John & Susan Mills are doing so much to address that problem. A Vasculitis Aid sounds a wonderful idea but even then, unless you have this disease or know somebody with it many people, sadly, wouldn't be interested yet. What is need is for the national press/media to get involved,
