THE family of a teenager from Rochford who was left fighting for his life in a coma have helped raise money for the hospital which saved him.

Jacob Hotten, now 20, became seriously unwell while working at a vaccine clinic following a sinus infection.

The infection caused an abscess on the frontal lobe of his brain and he was rushed Queen’s Hospital in Romford for surgery.

Mum Carla said: “Unfortunately Jacob’s brain reacted and swelled to dangerous levels and he was placed in a medically induced coma.

“This was a critical situation and the surgeons were not anticipating a positive outcome.”

Jacob, 20, remained in a coma and had to have an urgent craniotomy on day five.

He came round from the coma after nine days and spent five weeks in hospital.

Carla and her family took on a walking challenge last year to raise funds for King George and Queen’s Hospitals Charity in Romford.

Carla, who raised £3,400, said: “I am very humbled as a district nurse to recognise the amazing work of other external services and the care my son Jacob received at Queen’s Hospital in Romford was amazing.

“Our colleagues supported us all through a very difficult time and were flexible in my work schedule to help me look after Jacob at home.

“We are really happy to have raised as much money as we did for the hospital and we are hoping to raise more in the future.”

Jacob is still receiving treatment and remains under the care of the King George and Queen’s hospital neurology team.

However he has returned to Lincoln University to continue his studies in mechanical engineering.

Carla works at the Hockley Triage Integrated Services for adults and older people at Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT).

Julie Goodge, Carla’s mother, is a senior health and social care worker and her sisters Michelle, a matron and Becky, a senior nurse lead, have worked for EPUT for decades.

During the festive period they provided routine and end of life care for patients in their own homes across Hockley, Castle Point and Rochford.