Meningitis stories

Stephanie spent six days in hospital before being diagnosed with viral meningitis. However, she wasn't aware of the after-effects of the disease until she found Meningitis Now

Mike fell ill with meningococcal meningitis in September 2018. Despite devastating after-effects he is now rebuilding his life.

Paul thought that his symptoms were the flu, but when he woke up in intensive care after three days, he discovered that his illness had been much worse

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

Jude was 8 days old when he was rushed to hospital with Group B strep meningitis. Nine years on, mum Jessica shares their experience and explains the developing after-effects that Jude has been left with

Rachael was overjoyed to bring her twin baby girls home, but when a midwife picked up Nancy's high temperature it wasn't long before both girls were in PICU, fighting for their lives

After contracting meningococcal septicaemia as a 2-year-old, Xavier, now 22, has been left with severe after-effects. Mum Lynn tells their story

Baby Joe spent eight weeks in hospital after being diagnosed with pneumococcal meningitis, and has been left with a range of complex after-effects. Mum Cherelle tells their story

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

Ten minutes after returning home, Nadia was rushing daughter Ebonie to hospital where she was treated for bacterial meningitis. While she pulled through, Ebonie has been left with complex after-effects

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

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