06:30, 27 December 2024
Words by Abi Scaife, Staff Writer, London
Over 30 years ago, Bev Jacobson was a doctor in South Africa, until she was stuck with a used needle from an HIV-positive patient. Today, she is a mother, and an accomplished charity head, who has spent the last portion of her life giving back to others, in an incredible story of resilience.
Smiley News had the privilege of sitting down and listening to how she transformed a terrifying incident into a life full of gratitude and generosity.
“More than 30 years ago, it wasn't understood what HIV was and how it transformed into AIDS and whether it was terminal or not,” explains Bev. “There was an 18-month period of not knowing.”
Bev embarked on an experimental treatment, given to her not by her own hospital, but by one her brother worked at. This was before anti-retroviral drugs came in, and the treatment involved regular blood tests and waking every four hours to administer medication.
“There’s something about coming through the storms of life that makes you stronger, braver, and more compassionate,” says Bev, of her experiences. “My life story is filled with moments where I could have given up. I didn’t, and that’s why I’m able to help others now.”
For 18 months, the fear of a positive HIV diagnosis hung over Bev’s head; but after almost two years of anxiety, she was finally in the clear. Meanwhile, in South Africa, there was a huge amount of civil unrest; Nelson Mandela had been released, but there hadn’t yet been a democratic election.
“There was one episode where there was unrest in a township near Johannesburg, and police shot 33 people, [many] in their back as they were running away,” explains Bev. By this point, Bev was exhausted from working with increasing amounts of HIV-positive patients, repeatedly reliving her own experience through others. ”It was that point we just thought, ‘we've got to go’.”
Eventually, Bev and her husband were able to move to the UK, where Bev had a place at the London Business School to do an MBA. They were able to start a new life here, away from the civil unrest of South Africa, and the difficulties of the medical world, but things were far from over.
“The most common infection in newborn babies is a Group B strep infection, and 1/3 of women in society are carrying a Group B strep in their birth canal,” explains Bev. “It's not an organism that gives illness to children or adults, other than in the neonatal period.”
Group B streptococcal (GBS) septicemia is a severe bacterial infection that affects newborn infants. Unfortunately, Bev’s daughter was born having contracted the infection and was very suddenly in danger.
“The doctor in charge came out and said to me, ‘I don't know what religion you are [but] you might want to baptise her. She's not going to make it.’,” recalls Bev. “I just said, ‘please do whatever you can’.”
Thirty years later, Bev’s daughter is disabled, but thriving, and with the help of carers is able to live away from her mother. She is visually impaired and has cerebral palsy, as well as some learning disabilities, and alongside the support and love of her parents, was raised by a village of incredible people.
Still, raising a child with any kind of disability can be incredibly difficult; not least because of all the bureaucracy you need to navigate to ensure your loved one gets all the support they are entitled to.
This, and wanting to support others in the way she and her daughter had been supported, encouraged Bev to get involved in the disability space.
“There weren’t a lot of resources around when I was on my journey,” explains Bev. “I wanted to make sure that other families were properly supported, and that we were putting in place infrastructure around them.”
That’s how Bev came to set up EmployAble, on behalf of the Maurice Hatter Foundation. EmployAble is a brilliant charity that believes all people with learning disabilities who want to work can do so, and unite with partners to provide the support needed to facilitate this process.
“There's so many people out there in the learning disability world who want to work and just don't know how to get into work,” Bev says. “It's very, very difficult. So [EmployAble] is about, what are the barriers, and how we're going to overcome them?”
Bev has also done a huge amount of fundraising in her personal life, too - and is a familiar face at many a charity marathon - despite the fact that when she began, she wasn’t really a runner at all.
“I grew up with three brothers who were constantly challenging me, and I, very stupidly, whilst watching an ultra-marathon in South Africa said, ‘I'd like to do that’,” explains Bev. “And they all started laughing at me, so I said, ‘alright, I'm going to do it next year!’”
Bev’s story is one of incredible resilience and, most of all, love. She is proof that you really can do anything you set your mind to, as long as you have a cause to spur you on.
Charity Check-in
At Smiley Movement, we like to elevate the work of charities across the world. Here are three charities whose causes align with the themes in this article.
Sense. Sense helps thousands of people who have complex disabilities to communicate, experience the world and fulfil their potential. Learn more here.
Scope. Scope is the disability equality charity in England and Wales, providing practical information and emotional support when it's most needed, campaigning to create a fairer society. Support them here.
Disability Rights UK. Disability Rights UK is the UK’s leading organisation led by, run by, and working for disabled people. Find out more.
