Mother tells how heroin ripped her family apart

Jane Manderson, 43, has told of the dangers of drugs after her eldest child, Louise, 25, died following a seven year battle with the drug.

For five years Mrs Manderson watched her daughter become weaker as her body was ravaged by HIV which she believes was caught from dirty needles.

The promising dancer turned to cannabis and alcohol aged 16 after school bullies made her life a misery for being overweight.

Frightened of her peers at Cardinal Newman Catholic School in The Upper Drive, Hove, she began socialising with homeless people who would not judge her based on her appearance.

Two years later Louise was a heroin addict and was diagnosed with HIV in August 2001 after she began injecting the deadly drug.

It comes after The Argus reported last week the story Hannah Mayne, 19, from Brighton, who spends her days searching for a £30 heroin fix.

Her mother Kate told how the drug had ripped her family apart.

Mrs Manderson, of Hangleton Road, Hove, has asked other drug users to fight their addiction to prevent other mothers having to endure her pain.

The mother-of-two said: "We had a horrendous time and tried everything to get her off drugs.

"The NHS couldn't help because they didn't have the resources and we paid £60,000 on private treatment.

"It wasn't hard getting her off drugs but she would only stay clean for about six weeks.

"When her normal feeling would return she would feel guilty about all she put us through and her low self esteem drove her back to drugs.

"Drugs ruined my whole family and took my little girl away from me.

"She was infected and I was affected. I felt like a drug user as well because I suffered the fall out.

"People taking drugs should think very carefully because it not only ruins their life but tears apart the family too."

Mrs Manderson believes Louise never got over both the death of her diabetic father when she was eight months old and losing her brother Daniel to cot death.

The darkest period in their lives came between Louise being diagnosed with HIV and discovering she was pregnant in 2002.

But she stuck to methadone and stayed off heroin during her pregnancy and gave birth to Conor three years ago. Conor does not have HIV.

Soon after the birth Louise began reusing heroin and her health rapidly deteriorated despite the first rate treatment she received from the Royal Sussex County Hospital and the Sussex Beacon.

Six weeks ago she was on a ventilator for eight days in intensive care with pneumonia and the family were expecting the worst.

But she made a remarkable recovery and, just when the family was getting back to normal and Louise had managed to kick her habit, she died in London.

Mrs Manderson said: "They said she collapsed and died within 15 minutes and they haven't yet been able to determine what she died from.

"I just think it is terribly sad that she made the big effort to come off drugs then died.

"Louise was a fun loving, bubbly person with an infectious smile. She was a lovable rogue.

"But she played Russian roulette with her life and lost."

The funeral takes place at St Peter's Church in Hove tomorrow at 12.15pm.

Have you been through a similar ordeal in your family? Leave your comments below.

To see a video interview with Hannah and Kate, another family affected by heroin addiction, click here

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