Meningitis stories

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

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

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

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

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

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

Lauren thought that George had picked up a cold, but his condition deteriorated rapidly overnight and he was rushed into High Dependency

Amanda thought son Patrick had chicken pox after having his childhood vaccinations, but as his condition worsened he was diagnosed with meningococcal septicaemia

21-year-old Saracens and England rugby player Rosie is fighting fit after being hospitalised with meningococcal septicaemia back in September

Sixteen-year-old Courtney is slowly recovering, 11 months after being hospitalised with meningococcal septicaemia

Sahib's mother knew something wasn't right with her 11 month old son. She took him to the hospital where meningococcal MenC meningitis was diagnosed

After Stacy's 40th birthday she started to feel unwell. The next day she was rushed to hospital and diagnosed with meningococcal meningitis.

Alfie has made a good recovery after being diagnosed with meningococcal meningitis, but the speed at which he became unwell was dramatic, as mum Stephanie recounts

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

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

By the time Emily was admitted to hospital for the third time, she only had a 10% chance of survival. Mum Bex recounts her harrowing experience

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

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

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