Keeley Cross

Keeley Cross
Lead Parent Representative for Health

Keeley is mum to four children, three of whom are neurotypical: Alistair 23 years old, Iona 21 and Cameron 18, and then her beautiful special child James who is 10.

Keeley’s son James has multiple and profound needs; he needs full time care, is fully tube fed, and has a long list of diagnoses. He has a chromosomal abnormality which has caused a long list of issues, affecting brain, heart, gut, growth, kidneys, bowel, respiratory health, hearing and vision amongst others.

Keeley says that being a mum of a child with profound needs has been a very steep learning curve, particularly related to his medical needs.

Keeley’s previous professional life involved her being an electrician for Wessex Water. Keeley describes her son as a gift. He has made her more understanding, more appreciative, more aware of the suffering of others, and probably the most important thing he has taught her is to be grateful for the small things in life. It is the joy that you find in the everyday mundane occurrences in life that makes everything worthwhile. Keeley says she is most definitely a ‘glass half full kind of girl’, and having James makes her appreciate the world around her.