Meningitis stories

Tim, from Totterdown in Bristol, was one of the children caught up in the original meningitis outbreak in Stroud in the 1980s that saw the birth of Meningitis Now. He tells his story here

Anita's dad Barry was 74 when he suddenly became ill with meningococcal septicaemia, leaving him with deafness, amputations, limited vision and paralysis

10 minutes after leaving hospital with a diagnosis of cluster headaches, Thomas had a seizure caused by what turned out to be bacterial meningitis

After initially thinking that she had swallowed a battery, doctors were soon treating Evie for both bacterial and viral meningitis after her temperature soared and she became very confused

Ember contracted bacterial meningitis shortly after she was born. She was taken to hospital but lost her battle with the disease just days later

Meningitis Now Trustee Rod Adlington recounts the heartbreaking events leading to the tragic loss of his son Barney to meningitis in 2005

If Ellamae hadn't returned home after attending a funeral, she would never have found brother Harrison - who had collapsed - in time to save him

Mark contracted bacterial meningitis twice – and has now thanked Meningitis Now for the support he was given to help him on his road to recovery

When Jill’s newborn baby fell ill in July last year she was told it was “just viral meningitis”. Initially relieved, she started reading up on it and realised there was no “just” about it.

On the morning of Jackie's 40th birthday, she was very unwell - shivering, feeling sick and with a high temperature. Luckily, doctors reacted quickly; daughter Rosie tells her story

Maria thought her headache was a result of treatment for an existing medical condition, but as her symptoms worsened she knew something was wrong

Katie thought that there was more to her daughter's illness than just chicken pox; luckily, she trusted her instincts, as Tilly had contracted deadly meningococcal septicaemia

Corey was 20 months old when he became seriously ill with pneumococcal and meningococcal meningitis. Now 16, he has attended a number of our support events

Two years ago, Gemma was diagnosed with viral meningitis after flu-like symptoms became more severe. Read her story

After spending five days in a coma, Lindsey has been left with no hearing in her left ear after contracting meningococcal meningitis and septicaemia

Kevin contracted viral meningitis as a child, but wasn't treated until damage to his optic nerve had been done. He now co-hosts a podcast encouraging men to talk about their struggles in life

Halle was rushed to hospital by her fiancé in January 2019; she had contracted bacterial meningitis. She showed no symptoms and despite being rushed to hospital didn’t regain consciousness

Joanne was 29 when she contracted meningitis in 2009; now, with coping techniques and medication, she is able to manage her after-effects

Patricia misses her son all the time - but especially at Christmas - after he died of meningococcal septicaemia in 1998

Cat was in her first year at uni when she was struck down by viral meningitis. Four years on, with support from Meningitis Now, she is learning to manage her after-effects