Meningitis stories

When Samantha developed a severe headache and lost control of her right leg, she knew her symptoms were more than just from overdoing it

Denise had been feeling unwell for a few months, but her headache suddenly got so severe that she ended up in a coma, fighting for her life

Diagnosed earlier this year with meningoencephalitis, a form of viral meningitis, Catarina has been left with after-effects but is slowly trying to return to normal

In the run-up to Christmas in 2017, Alice was feeling unwell with a cold, which over the course of a few days revealed itself to be something much more serious - bacterial meningitis

Holly was on her way to Norway for work when she started feeling unwell at the airport. Deemed unfit to fly, her symptoms worsened until she was rushed to hospital with a tell-tale rash

Michael was taken to hospital where he was diagnosed with meningitis after he fell ill in 2015

Katy had been suffering from progressively worse headaches, but when she lost her speech and use of one arm, her mum took her straight to A&E, where she was diagnosed with viral meningitis

Sarah thought she was coming down with a cold, but was diagnosed with bacterial meningitis after her organs started to fail

At just 19-years-old, Nadia G from Oldham in Lancashire came down with flu-like symptoms including hallucinations, fever and vomiting, which she later learned were the first signs of meningitis.

Claire didn't realise that adults could get meningitis, until her mum Gwen became unwell and unresponsive

Danielle thought she had contracted flu but in fact the new mum, from Lurgan in County Armagh, had something even worse – pneumococcal meningitis

Meningococcal meningitis has left Paul profoundly deaf and with other lifelong after-effects. He tells his story here.

Twenty-four-year-old Nick, from Brixton in London, fell ill last summer with meningococcal meningitis. Nick is taking on the London Vitality 10K for us on Monday 27 May

When Louise went home from a night out feeling sick, she had no idea that she was going to end up in hospital - although it took a while for her to be diagnosed

Nicole was feeling unwell when she travelled to South America, but miles away from home, her symptoms became unbearable

At 23, Abigail was happy, positive and enjoying life. However, following a few days of vague but worsening symptoms, she became seriously unwell and sadly passed away. Aunt Fiona shares her story

What started for Kirsten with a severe headache and vomiting was viral meningitis, as confirmed by a lumber puncture.

After a terrifying brush with meningitis, primary school teacher Alyx H, from Bristol, has happily recovered and is now expecting her first child

Spurred on by the impact that pneumococcal meningitis has had on his father-in-law Tim, Alex is fundraising and training hard for the upcoming Derby 10k

Living alone, Robert was lucky to be found after collapsing at home. Once admitted to hospital and placed in a coma, his condition deteriorated; 11 months on he is still suffering from after-effects