Boy who was told he might not play football again raises £3,800 with keepy-uppies to thank docs

Eleven-year-old Riley Watkins challenged himself to a 30-day keepy-uppy challenge and has raised over £3,800 for Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity, after a spell in hospital with a poorly heart meant he couldn’t play football for over three months.

Riley, from Bilston, completed 30 keepy-uppies every day for 30 days to raise the cash to celebrate his return to football after doctors said he may never be able to play sport again.

Riley had been playing football with his local kids' team when he suddenly began feeling unwell and short of breath. Riley’s mum, Jody, kept him off school the next day to rest but Riley got worse and his skin and his lips turned blue.

Jody called for an ambulance and Riley was whisked off to hospital where doctors confirmed he had pneumonia.

Armed with medication and an order to rest up for two weeks, Riley was sent home to recover and when the fortnight was up, he headed straight back to football practice.

But it didn’t take Riley long to realise that things still weren’t quite right - he was still struggling to breathe.

The next day he severely worsened again. Jody rushed Riley back to hospital, begging for help as she carried him through the doors.

Doctors rushed to help Riley, taking blood for tests and hooking him up to heart monitors. When the results came back, Jody and Riley’s dad Dave were devastated to learn that their son had developed a large aneurysm in his heart as a result of the pneumonia, which meant that the wall of his aorta had become weak and had begun to bulge under pressure.

It was vital that Riley stayed in bed and stayed calm, so as not to increase his heart rate, to reduce the risk of the aneurysm rupturing.

The next day, Riley was transferred to Birmingham Children’s Hospital where specialist paediatric cardiologists could take over his care.

After Riley was admitted he was taken to his own room on the ward, where he was put on strict bed rest to give his medication time to work, and his heart a chance to strengthen. Through his room’s window, Riley could see other patients playing with the hospital’s play and recreation facilitators - but to keep his heart rate low, Riley had to stay in bed.

A week later, Riley was finally allowed to go home. His pneumonia had gone but he still needed to rest and was told he couldn’t play football or do any strenuous activity for three months, to let his heart recover. Riley was bored senseless, but he held onto hope and counted down the days until he could play football again.

Jody said: “Riley really struggled to sit still and rest and when his three months were up, he was raring to get back into his football. At the same time, we had to return to Birmingham Children’s Hospital for a check-up and while we were on the cardiology ward, Riley saw other heart patients and I think he realised that he was one of the luckier ones.

“Riley saw a poster on the wall in the waiting room about fundraising to support the hospital’s patients and he asked me if he could do something to help other heart patients so I suggested setting himself a football-related challenge.”

Feeling inspired, Riley eased himself back onto the pitch and began his 30 keepy-uppy a day challenge. Riley raised over £1,047 himself - and when the fundraising bug spread, his family and friends got involved to help top up his total. Jody helped to arrange a kids versus adults charity football match and they sold food and raffle tickets, bringing the total to say thank you to the hospital to over £3,800.

Annie Eytle, head of public fundraising at Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity, said: “We’re so pleased to hear that Riley got back to his football after what must have been such a scary and uncertain time for him and his family, and the fact that Riley wanted to use his footie skills to fundraise and support other patients is so heartwarming.

“The funds Riley and his family raised for our cardiology department will make sure that we can continue to do more for sick kids, just like him.”