In the summer of 2000 Lynette and Nick’s 8-month-old baby boy, Ato, seemed to have a simple summer cold. But on the 1st of August that year, their world was turned upside down when he went into respiratory arrest.
Ato had contracted pneumococcal meningitis and was put into an induced coma.
Thankfully, Ato survived but he was left with brain damage, severe communication and cognitive delay, autism, and epilepsy. Ato’s experience has not only changed his life but the lives of his parents and siblings too.
Lynette, her husband and their three other children, Johari, Safia and Zuben, have all become passionate about spreading awareness of the risks and realities of meningitis.
Made it her mission
Lynette, who had never heard the term ‘pneumococcal meningitis’ before Ato’s doctors uttered them in 2000, has made it her mission to ensure that no other family feels as confused as she was after a lumbar puncture confirmed Ato’s condition.
Lynette is a Meningitis Now Community Ambassador, and eldest daughter Johari was a Young Ambassador for many years too. Despite already being a dedicated member of the Meningitis Now family, Lynette wanted to do something extraordinary to mark the 25-year anniversary of Ato’s respiratory arrest and consequent diagnosis.
In January 2025 Lynette set herself the almost bewildering task of raising £25,000 for Meningitis Now to mark Ato’s survival of meningitis and the family’s journey since then. Despite challenges, Ato brings much joy to the whole family and caring and advocating for him has added immeasurable learning and love to their lives.
Kick off her fundraising
Lynette has delivered many talks in her time as an Ambassador so she decided to kick off her fundraising by challenging herself to first book ten awareness talks, which would just be the first in a long list of events and challenges over the year.
In April, Lynette created a short appeal to camera which she sent out to her network which garnered donations from all over the world. She invited friends to join her ‘team’ and one particularly well-connected friend organised bake sales in Department of Education offices around the country, raising over £2,200.
In June, Lynette and Nick were to celebrate their wedding anniversary and the next day was Lynette’s birthday. To mark the occasions, they threw a ‘Dance a’ Thon,’ inviting friends in person and from all around the world to take part via Zoom. Lynette danced for six hours on the Saturday, and another 3.5 hours on the Sunday, and raised £2,000!
'100k My Way'
During July, Lynette took on our challenge ‘100k My Way’. She and Nick, along with Ato, extended their usual walking circuit in their local neighbourhood to complete their challenge. Nick also decided to take on a bike ride between Manchester and Solihull, cycling 125 miles. He raised over £1,000.
To mark the 25th anniversary of Ato’s respiratory arrest on the 1st of August the family organised an event in collaboration with a local restaurant. Meningitis Now CEO Tom Nutt attended, along with Meningitis Now Ambassadors. They held a raffle and messages from Ato’s medical team who helped save his life were read out.
More sporting events followed with Lynette’s friend’s son, Zachariah, taking on the Junior Great North Run, in Aid for Meningitis Now, raising over £2,700. Johari also chose to walk from Shrewsbury, where Ato first took ill, to Stoke-on-Trent, where he received much of his medical care. She walked 65km, with Lynette joining her for 33km. She raised over £3,700.
Christmas set to be exciting
In the run up to Christmas this year a crafty friend has been making unique string-art festive cards that are for sale on Lynette’s website now. Christmas is set to be an exciting time in the Adjei household with Safia performing at the Meningitis Now London Christmas concert and youngest sibling, Zuben, flying home from Singapore to celebrate.
On the 20th of December, the family will mark the end of this unbelievable year of fundraising with Zuben leading a sing-along for all the friends and family that have supported them along the way. They will have much to celebrate indeed as, at time of writing, they have now hit their unbelievable target of raising £25,000!
We are so incredibly grateful for Lynette, Nick, the Adjei siblings and all their friends and supporters who have shown such imagination, community spirit, endurance, and optimism in this ultimate fundraising adventure. Thank you!
You can still donate to the family’s Just Giving page here.
