Our annual Ribbon Appeal, which we launch to coincide with our Christmas concerts, features a family with a direct experience of meningitis bereavement and never fails to offer a poignant insight into the devastation meningitis can cause.
This year we are very grateful for Jessica Vickery and her family for sharing their story of losing Josh, Jessica’s husband and the father of their three small children, to pneumococcal meningitis in 2021.
Remember loved ones
The Ribbon Appeal offers bereaved families, and all those who have experienced meningitis, a moment to remember loved ones by including a white ribbon on our remembrance tree at our Gloucester Cathedral Christmas concert.
Jessica will be speaking about her experience of losing Josh at the concert this year. It is Jess’s hope that people will join her in helping us support families like hers to face a future after meningitis with hope and confidence.
Losing Josh – a fit, healthy 40-year-old – to meningitis was not something that had ever crossed Jess's mind. Even during the usual chaos of raising small children, she and Josh often found themselves discussing their plans for all of the adventures they’d go on together. Sadly for Jess and the children, they will now have to make those memories without Josh.
Families facing bereavement
Thanks to donations in support of appeals like Ribbon, we can continue offering essential services to families facing bereavement. Especially at times like Christmas, it’s very important to us to offer an empathetic ear through our nurse-led Helpline or Community Support Officer visits, or through our Facebook groups.
We never forget the life-long impact on families who’ve lost loved ones and remembering the people lost to this terrible disease continues to be a very important aspect of our work.
Meningitis Now’s Christmas Concert takes place at Gloucester Cathedral on Wednesday 29 November. Tickets are available to buy via our concert webpage or by phoning 01453 768000.
To donate to our Ribbon appeal please visit the Ribbon Appeal webpage.
