Join us this October for our inaugural Lantern Memory Walk in Manchester. On Sunday 4 October 2026 we will gather at Wythenshawe Park for an evening of remembrance.
Kelly will be joining us on the walk. She lost her 19-month-old son, Daniel, in 1996 from meningococcal septicaemia.
Kelly says: “I’m taking part in a lantern walk in memory of my son Daniel, who sadly died from meningitis.
“My son Daniel James Cain, aged 19 months, died on 9th December 1996 less than 24 hours after first developing symptoms of meningitis.
Rapidly worsened
He woke on 8th December with a temperature and soon suffered a febrile convulsion, prompting an ambulance call. At the hospital, his condition rapidly worsened—he became unresponsive, though no rash was initially present.
He underwent multiple treatments, including a lumbar puncture, to which he showed no reaction.
“During the night, a rash appeared. By the following morning, test results confirmed meningococcal septicaemia. By then, his organs were failing and his veins had collapsed.
“Daniel died in an ambulance while being transferred to Pendlebury Children’s Hospital.
Together through light
“I’ll be doing the Lantern Memory Walk with my adult daughter Shannon, giving us a special way to remember Daniel together through light.
“I heard about it through an email from Meningitis Now and wanted to do something meaningful as a family.
“It’s a way for us to honour him, strengthen our bond, and show support for others affected.
This special 5k walk is open to all ages and created for everyone who has lost someone to meningitis or whose life has been forever touched by the disease.
A symbol of love
As dusk falls, we will walk together, each carrying a lit lantern — a symbol of love, reflection and unity.
We will honour the lives taken too soon, cherish the memories we hold dear, and stand together in hope for a future free from meningitis.
Every step you take and every pound you raise will help us continue supporting families devastated by this disease.
Sign up to our Lantern Memory Walk.
