IF you went passed the Mersey Gateway bridge yesterday, Wednesday, you might have wondered why it was lit up in red and blue.

The reason behind it was to raise awareness of Kawasaki disease on International Kawasaki Disease awareness day.

It is a condition that mainly affects children under the age of five and causes inflammation in blood vessels throughout the body.

Most children with the disease recover completely, but some develop heart problems like acquired heart disease and coronary aneurysms.

The vast majority get it treated, but it can also be fatal if it is not treated in time.

One family who was affected was Manda Bennett and her daughter Emily Ditcham who was taken ill with Kawasaki disease in July 2011 aged three.

Emily had a red raised lymph node in her neck, which as initially put down as a viral infection.

At the moment, you have to have a temp of 39 degrees Celsius for five days for it to be considered as Kawasaki disease.

Then there is a five-day window after that to treat it before the chances of developing coronary heart disease or aneurysms develop quite highly.

Emily got sent home from the hospital with a red lump on her neck. After some research, Manda found Kawasaki disease and thought that Emily had none of the symptoms apart from the temperature and lump.

Manda said: “I took her back to the hospital after she was ill and literally watched her develop every symptom over the next four or five hours like a textbook.”

With the help of IV Steroids at Alder Hey, Emily responded well to treatment.

Manda, based in Runcorn, added: “We were lucky. In those first five days, they are testing and throwing all of these illnesses at you and it’s a barrage and it’s not pleasant for the kids.

“The relief is incredible when the temperature comes down.

“We have since been discharged and she is a happy, healthy 14-year-old who horse rides and swims.

“She doesn’t seem to have any long-lasting effects at the moment which is the best outcome.”

To spread the word about Kawasaki disease, Manda has been involved with a UK support group since 2011 which Societi came out of as an awareness charity.

Manda has been helping in the background with that sporadically.

The group applied to get the bridge lit up, which the founder of Societi Rachel McCormack was keen on, and now The Mersey Gateway is one of six monuments lit up across the United Kingdom.

And with it getting lit up, that raises awareness of the disease and sparks a conversation.

Manda, who moved back to Runcorn in 2011, said: “It’s a really important topic.

“It’s grown from a very small idea of some parents getting together who couldn’t get any information about an illness that is quite traumatic at the time to something that’s now a nationwide awareness campaign.

“It’s good to see how quickly it’s moved.

“The best thing is when you’re talking about it and someone says ‘I’ve heard of that’ and that wasn’t happening five years ago“

“To be able to see awareness being raised locally because it’s something that has happened here with the support group, it’s great.

“As people aren’t as aware of it, it’s not as talked about, even though it’s more common than meningitis in children.

“There are a lot of kids that don’t get diagnosed because it’s not something that people are looking for.

“What we’re saying now is if you see a certain set of symptoms, ask the question ‘is it Kawasaki disease?’ because it’s not necessarily going to leap to every doctor or consultant’s mind.”

Societi raises money to put together information packs and provides them to every hospital and doctors surgery that wants a pack.

Rachael, founder of Societi said: “The Mersey Gateway Bridge is an iconic regional landmark, and we are thrilled that bright red and pink beams will illuminate the sky for Kawasaki Disease awareness on the most important date in our calendar – International Kawasaki Disease awareness day.

“Despite Kawasaki Disease being increasingly common, low public awareness means it’s often initially misdiagnosed, putting children’s hearts at risk of lifetime damage. We must change this and stop Kawasaki Disease from having the devastating effect it has on far too many children today.”

To find out more about Societi visit https://www.societi.org.uk/