'World-first' tot saved by Bubble Unit is now champion horse rider

LITTLE HATTIE, 10, ALMOST DIED AS A BABY - BUT LIFE-SAVING WORK OF NEWCASTLE MEDICS HAS GIVEN HER CHANCE TO THRIVE

- By SAM VOLPE

NINE years ago, little Hattie Platt was fighting to survive at Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary. Born without an immune system, one bone marrow transplant had failed, and she was in organ failure.

Now, though, she has defied the odds and is a happy and healthy ten-year-old - who spends every spare minute riding ponies and has even been victorious at the Horse of the Year show. Hattie’s mum Helen Mylott is now a trustee of Tyneside charity the Bubble Foundation - and mum and daughter spoke to The Chronicle to celebrate the charity's relaunch last week.

Helen said: "Harriet was healthy as a baby, or at least appeared to be. But Harriet - who lives with her family in Northwich in the North West - would get many infections and it was soon discovered that she had SCID." She had Omenn syndrome - a severe combined immunodeficiency disorder (SCID). Effectively what this meant was she didn't have an immune system.