Meningitis stories

After an initial diagnosis of a viral infection, doctors then found Bea to be suffering from deadly pneumococcal meningitis. Mum Louisa shares their terrifying story

Within the space of an hour, Leo had gone from being a giggly baby boy to seriously ill, prompting parents Georgia and Jack to call quickly for medical help

In what would have been Craig's 30th year, Meningitis Now supporter and mum Vicky recounts the heartbreaking story of losing her eight week old baby boy

When Mac - then seven months old - became unsettled, mum Rachel felt that he was more ill than doctors thought. She was soon proved correct

Emilia's parents were already carefully monitoring her as she became more unsettled, but when her fontanelle started to bulge they knew that something was seriously wrong

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

After baby son Josh's terrifying battle with pneumococcal meningitis, mum Emma took on our Marathon Month - all in one day!

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

Emma and Jason were able to spend 30 precious days with their baby son Thomas before his fight with meningitis became too much. Emma shares their story

Emily was just 6 weeks old when she was diagnosed with meningococcal meningitis - but not until she and mum Ellie had gone away for the weekend

After a difficult birth, Edith was just four days old when mum Amy noticed her grunting and that her toes were going purple

Nicola would never have guessed that baby son Jorge was as ill as he was when he went off his food; luckily a trip to the GP meant that he was quickly diagnosed

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

Joanne had been poorly for a few days, but when she became floppy and unresponsive, mum Jenny knew something was seriously wrong

Leo's only symptom was rapid breathing, but luckily he was diagnosed and treated quickly - before he'd even left the hospital after birth

A year after an inquest ruled that Layla-Rose's death could have been avoided, mum Kirsty shares her story

Just hours after her arrival, baby Amelia seemed to be struggling to breathe, alerting doctors to something seriously wrong. Mum Lauren tells their story

Baby Harry was on holiday in Menorca with his family when he became seriously ill, fighting for his life. Mum Lauren tells their story