8 minute read
HARMONIE-ROSE ALLEN Meet the most inspirational seven year old in Bath
by MediaClash
There’s a mischievous side to the charming Harmonie
SWEET HARMONIE Sarah Moolla has the honour of meeting the charming and inspirational Miss Harmonie-Rose Allen Main portraits by Betty Bhandari
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I’m here to interview the just turned seven years old Harmonie-Rose Allen about all her achievements – the list is long, impressive, and jaw-dropping. Just this year alone HarmonieRose raised £64,211 for Meningitis Now through the 2.6 challenge in April, became the charity’s Junior Ambassador, and in November won gold in an international sports competition organised by the Paralympic Games. Oh and last year she took part in the Bath Half marathon. This is the little girl from Bath who, at 10 months old contracted meningitis, was given just a 10 per cent chance of survival. She lost part of her nose, and to save her life, her arms and her legs were amputated.
But instead of talking attainments and bravery, I’m sidetracked into having my fortune told (she sees my future involving a lot of money, some cake, trees and a baby girl!). She also sets me some sums to demonstrate her understanding of addition and subtraction – maths is her favourite subject – and she persuades me to hand over my pen and notepad to show me her writing. As she does the most beautiful cursive writing, mum Freya tells me she was told Harmonie-Rose would never be able to write. The family were also told Harmonie (as she likes be called in person) would never be able to walk, swim, jump, trampoline, sing, but not only can she do all these things, she excels and uses her skills to raise money for others.
There’s no getting away from it, Harmonie may come with all the tags of ‘meningitis survivor’, ‘inspirational hero’, and ‘courageous little girl’, but she’s also pretty darn wonderful and irresistible company. My pre-set questions, which mum Freya had helpfully gone through with Harmonie a few days before, are abandoned as I get swept along with her sense of fun and energy, her eagerness to show me her Roblux world on the iPad, and her desire to share her own anecdotes.
Harmonie’s stories are where she may slightly differ to the average Year 2 Bath schoolgirl. The content reveals both her strengths and her vulnerabilities. One incident involves the time her prosthetic leg fell off at school and she needed help. “My key worker was off that day, and
© BETTY BHANDARI
top: Dad Ross, Harmonie, little sister Luna-Faith aged two, mum Freya; above: Mum Freya with Harmonie in hospital at just 10 months; below: Harmonie has boundless energy and good humour no-one knew how to put it on so they got my cousin Kairo to help,” she says, “We don’t sit next to each other at school but he does always help me.” I ask her who her school pals are, and there’s a lot of names mentioned including a boy called Daniel – he’s her boyfriend says Mum – and suddenly Harmonie goes a little shy, for the first time and only time in our meeting at her Bath home. Even when the photographer arrives for our shoot, she’s patient, obliging, and smiles like a pro.
Mind you, maybe that’s not surprising given her celebrity status. For six years she’s been national news, appeared on TV several times and is quite a regular on ITV1’s Good Morning Britain – she says how much she likes Piers and Susannah. But judging by the reaction of both Piers and Susannah, and in fact everybody who has ever had the privilege of meeting Harmonie, including myself, the pleasure is all ours.
Her upbeat positivity and sunny disposition is in no small part down to her parents Freya and Ross. From the start of Harmonie contracting meningitis, just days after she’d taken her first steps, they’ve shown a remarkable determination and campaigned tirelessly, which has helped ensure Harmonie grows up with a can-do attitude.
A quick run through of Harmonie’s schedule reveals just how relentless it is, and how much that can-do attitude is needed and just how resilient both child and parents are. There’s yearly check-ups with her kidney consultant, bi-annual appointments with herorthopaedist. There’s weekly hippotherapy – a form of physical therapy, yearly check ups with her paediatrician, plus she has appointments for her prosthetics when she needs new legs and she is undergoing trials to hopefully have a myoelectric hand fitted next year. “Harmonie’s choice,” says Freya. “She really wanted a hand. We are only led by her decisions, we don’t make her do anything she isn’t comfortable with.”
Harmonie is such a force of nature and such a strong character, it’s easy to forget that everything she does, and has achieved, takes extraordinary effort. Her mum tells me as Harmonie’s bones continue to grow they can pierce her flesh and cause her considerable pain. Harmonie tells me, very matter of factly, it hurts her legs if she has to stand for too long and shows me how she hops from one limb to the other to help ease the discomfort. Yet there is no moaning,
TOP LEFT CLOCKWISE: Harmonie the gymnast wins gold!; Piers Morgan says Harmonie-Rose is one of his favourite Good Morning Britain guests; Crossing the Bath Half fi nish line in 2019
© BBC
instead there’s a little fi zz-bomb of vitality and confi dence – who by the way, happens to be a tad mischievous.
As I prepare to leave, she asks me to read her fortune. I tell her about all the crowds I can see chanting her name and applauding, and I see nothing but love, happiness, and success for my new friend Harmonie. “And Robux? Have I been good enough for Robux?” she adds hopefully, widening her long-lashed eyes and gazing into mine. Not having a clue what she’s talking about I say, oh yes, good enough for lots and lots. “Double?” Of course, at least double. And with a squeal she jumps down off her chair, and runs off to tell her parents of my prediction. Turns out Robux are a costly game currency and I’ve just been duped into upping a promise. I have to grovel my apologies to Freya and Ross. There’s a knowing roll of the eyes, that’s fi ne they say, she has form for doing this.
Did I mention just how clever the remarkable Miss Harmonie-Rose Allen is…? ■ For more: Follow Harmonie-Rose’s achievements on Twitter and Instagram @Hope4Harmonie; www.meningitisnow.org
SINGING THE PRAISES OF HARMONIE-ROSE A few words from those who know her well
Piers Morgan, Good Morning Britain presenter “Harmonie-Rose is probably my favourite guest. She is one of the greatest little persons in the world – she’s always so happy and so positive. She’s unbelievably gutsy and takes my breathe away.”
Doctor Fergal Monsell, orthopaedic surgeon at Bristol Royal Hospital for Children “I have known Harmonie Rose from the day she arrived on the intensive care unit at the Children’s Hospital as a 10 month old. I have had the privilege of watching her grow up and have got to know her quite well over the years.
She has a very rare ability to light up a room and her matter of fact approach to getting on with life is an inspiration to everyone that has been involved with her care.
“I have many stories and they are generally a private matter between Harmonie and myself but she is my absolute favourite TV celebrity and I still point at the screen whenever she is on and shout “That’s Harmonie-Rose, I know her!”
Mrs Jane Gascoigne, headteacher of Combe Down CofE Primary School “Harmonie is a delightful member of our school family, who has grown in confi dence and is able to fully engage with all that is on offer at school. She is an inspiration to others and always tackles the challenges of everyday life with a smile and a positive attitude.
“One memorable occasion was when she, accompanied by a couple of members of our school team and family members, ran in the Bath Half marathon. I was so impressed with her resilience, and the commitment and stamina of the staff. It was an occasion that showed a selfl ess amount of giving both from Harmonie and the school team, to promote and support the amazing charity Meningitis Now.”
Steve Dayman, executive founder of the charity Meningitis Now “Harmonie-Rose is a true inspiration to everyone she meets, especially to those who are suffering the after-effects of meningitis. Never the victim always the champion.
“The resilience of the family shone through even at the early stages of their experience. Within what seems like no time at all the family was helping the charity in one of its biggest battles – the fi ght to secure the introduction of a vaccine for MenB – the strain that almost took Harmonie’s life.”
Dr Tom Nutt, chief executive of Meningitis Now “In September we made Harmonie-Rose our fi rst Junior Ambassador. The charity wanted to fi nd a way to recognise the contribution that HarmonieRose and her family – mum and dad Freya and Ross, and aunties Jessica and Hannah – have made to fi ghting meningitis in the UK, and this seems both fi tting and appropriate.”
