Meningitis stories

Rhys is a "healthy, sociable 19-year-old" - but after contracting pneumococcal meningitis as a baby, the outcome could have been very different, as mum Emma tells us

Our Community Ambassador Ian shares the devastating story of losing his grandson Charlie to pneumococcal meningitis

Since contracting pneumococcal meningitis as a baby, Sophia has been left with complex and life-long after-effects; but as mum Joanna explains, these do not define her

In 1974, when the medical landscape was very different to today, Vera and Rob were told that their young son Ian's life support had been turned off after a short battle with meningococcal septicaemia

Connie was feverish and lethargic, but when her fontanelle started bulging, her parents knew they had to get help - quickly

Chris was forced to resuscitate his four-day-old daughter Skye when she stopped breathing while feeding and went limp. Mum Sophie shares their story

Baby Ellie was originally placed on a Covid ward when she was rushed to hospital on Father's Day last year, but by midnight she was being treated for meningitis

58-year-old Bernard woke up on a life support machine, nine days after being sent home from hospital with a diagnosis of measles. He had contracted meningococcal septicaemia and was lucky to be alive

Despite her physical recovery, Lucy has been left with a number of after-effects after contracting MenC, including short-term memory issues and survivor guilt

Hours after Abigail's arrival into the world, she was rushed back into hospital when she started to jerk her head and make strange noises

Margaret shares the heartbreaking story of her nephew Calum, who passed away aged 12 having just returned to school after a flu virus

Doctors initially thought Jade had a kidney infection when she became ill with a severe headache and aching muscles, but once in hospital she was diagnosed with viral meningitis

When Virginia's son Jamie became unwell in 1988, doctors missed the signs of meningitis. As he deteriorated, he was rushed to hospital, but tragically passed away

Parents Emily and Adam were told to expect the worst when baby George developed complications after a diagnosis of viral meningitis

Mum Beverley was identified as Strep B positive while pregnant, but a few weeks after baby Asher was born he started showing signs of Group B Strep meningitis

Hours after Liam had first complained of a sore throat and light sensitivity, he needed to be placed in an induced coma as he battled meningococcal meningitis

Hazel was only a few weeks old when she was diagnosed with Group B Strep. Now 25, she has had a number of brain surgeries to alleviate pressure on her brain

Tests revealed that Jamielee's baby boy Leon was suffering from meningococcal type Y, which has left him with complex after-effects; but she is so glad that she was able to bring him home

Miranda struggled to access medical help that she desperately needed when she became ill in August this year. She has now been left with severe after-effects of meningococcal meningitis

Clair contracted meningococcal meningitis and septicaemia and life was never to be the same again