Meningitis stories

Sophia, from Hertfordshire, was at university in Manchester when she became gravely ill with meningitis and septicaemia

It was a normal afternoon for Chloe, from Stroud, until her four-month-old son started screaming. A lumbar puncture later confirmed Rupert had viral meningitis

Amelia from Norfolk tells us the chilling story of what her new-born daughter, Esther, had to go through before being diagnosed with viral meningitis at just three weeks old

Daniela, from Broxbourne, was on a family shopping trip with her newborn son when he stopped breathing. A lumbar puncture confirmed meningococcal meningitis. She tells us her story

Niamh had been complaining of a headache and had been saying that her neck was hurting. Niamh was also tired, grumpy and lacking in her normal boundless energy.  Suspecting meningitis, mum Charlotte set of for hospital

Kate from Essex was looking forward to introducing her new son to his big sister. But viral meningitis, and the ongoing after-effects of her son’s diagnosis, meant the newborn days turned into months of worry

Twelve months ago Sophie had what she thought was sunstroke. In fact, she’d contracted viral meningitis and it has been a life-changing experience for her

A holiday in 2009 quickly turned into a nightmare for Amy, from Hereford. Amy tells us how her experience of being hospitalised with meningitis in Spain was just the start of her ordeal

Jacqueline G from Dorset was an active, sociable 61-year-old when she contracted bacterial meningitis eight years ago.

Lauren, from Kingswinford in the West Midlands, spent eight hours in A&E waiting to be treated for what transpired to be bacterial meningitis.

10-week-old Arthur had a rash that disappeared when his mum Colette did the glass test, so paramedics wrote off the possibility of meningitis

Allison from Essex was a high-flying manager in the city before she was hit by viral meningitis. After many years of recovery, she has learnt what makes her happiest in life

Baby Jenson was born prematurely but nothing could have prepared his parents for a diagnosis of meningitis and sepsis

Lulu, from London, tells us how inspiring she finds her little boy Harrison, who contracted pneumococcal meningitis at five months old

Simon was on holiday with his husband when an earache turned into an ambulance trip to hospital and being put into an induced coma.

Freya was waiting excitedly for her school disco when she started to feel poorly and had to be rushed to hospital with signs of meningitis

At just two wweks old, Isobel contracted meningitis and sepsis. 94% of her body was infected

Mother’s Day took an unexpected turn for Jessica, from Fareham, and her new-born son when he developed a fever which turned out to be viral meningitis

Lizzie’s first year of life was disrupted by a meningitis diagnosis. She is now a thriving 33-year-old who has recently run the Hackney Half marathon for Meningitis Now.

Having been told she had heatstroke, Tilly was eventually diagnosed with viral meningitis. She tells us what happened next