Meningitis stories

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

Paul Hodgson from Darlingon in County Durham contracted meningitis as a baby, more than fifty years ago.

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

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

Isabella contracted pneumococcal meningitis as a baby, which has left her with after-effects such as an acquired brain injury and hearing loss. Mum Gemma tells her story

Now an adult, Sian was just two years old when she contracted meningococcal meningitis and septicaemia. Luckily, her mum recognised her symptoms from one of our leaflets

Born three months early, baby Lola is doing well; however, twin brother Luca has contracted meningitis four times, leaving him with life-changing after-effects

By the age of four, Ben had contracted meningitis twice. He has been left with a variety of after-effects but, as mum Angela explains, lives his life to the full

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

Nine months after being diagnosed with viral meningitis, Karolina is still suffering from a variety of after-effects

After contracting meningococcal septicaemia as a baby, Nicole has been left unable to do anything for herself. Mum Linda shares their story

Thain was given just hours to live by the time he was diagnosed with viral and bacterial meningitis. Luckily, he pulled through but has been left with after-effects, as mum Jennifer tells us

What Claire thought was a cold turned out to be something a lot more serious as she found herself hospitalised for two weeks

Now 5 years old, Travis was 2 when he became very poorly with meningococcal meningitis and septicaemia, and now suffers after-effects. Mum Natalie tells his story

Despite being left with lifelong after-effects of TB meningitis, Riley doesn't let anything hold him back

Quick thinking by Juley's husband saved her life when she became ill with pneumococcal meningitis, but she has been left with a range of after-effects

When Chloe contracted meningitis at age 19, she came close to dying and lost her ability to see, hear and walk. Thankfully despite significant after-effects, she is making a good recovery.

Stephen's meningitis story began when a severe headache, lethargy, aching muscles and sensitivity to light struck in April and he knew something serious was wrong.

Sarah Lockey, our new Community Fundraiser for the North of England, holds our cause very close to her heart as her daughter Tilly contracted the disease at 15 months old. Here she shares their heart-breaking, yet inspirational story