A MUM whose baby daughter’s life was saved after she became desperately ill is raising money to help save the lives of other children. Cerys Faizey was just three weeks old when she became sick with life-threatening encephalitis (swelling of the brain). Her parents Emma and Richard Faizey, of Dormston, near Pershore, initially thought she had colic or epilepsy after she suffered fits so took her to Pershore Medical Centre where she suffered a full-blown fit and from there she was taken to Worcestershire Royal Hospital in Worcester. The now perfectly healthy two-year-old was cared for in intensive care in the Riverbank ward for three to four weeks. Mrs Faizey, aged 29, said: “The staff at Pershore Medical Centre and at the hospital were unbelievable – it’s not something they deal with on a regular basis. I owe them more than I can ever give them. You are panicking as a mother in that situation. They kept the situation calm and I felt comfortable the whole way through it. They saved her life. I can’t sing their praises enough.” She has organised a masquerade ball which is scheduled to take place at the Vale Golf Club, Hill Furze Road, Bishampton, on June 2 at 7.30pm to raise money, the bulk of which will go to the Riverbank ward and the rest to Meningitis Research. The ball, which she hopes will raise more than £2,000, will involve an auction and a raffle with a range of prizes on offer, including a bottle of rosé donated by Sir Cliff Richard from his vineyard in Portugal, family tickets for Worcester Warriors, four tickets for the county enclosure at Worcester Racecourse, prizes donated by Aztec Watersports and hampers. Mrs Faizey wished to thank the golf club for allowing her to use the function rooms free of charge, for offering reduced rates for the three-course meal to help boost ticket sales and for their donation of a prize of a six-month membership at the club. The ball includes performances from the band Fretless and singer Matt Peplow. Her dad, Gary Williams, and friends have already raised £2,500 in sponsorship ahead of a coast-to-coast cycle ride in July. There are about 40 of 120 tickets left for the ball. Tickets are available from the golf club on 01386 462781.