Meningitis stories

Niamh had been complaining of a headache and had been saying that her neck was hurting. Niamh was also tired, grumpy and lacking in her normal boundless energy.  Suspecting meningitis, mum Charlotte set of for hospital

Twelve months ago Sophie had what she thought was sunstroke. In fact, she’d contracted viral meningitis and it has been a life-changing experience for her

A holiday in 2009 quickly turned into a nightmare for Amy, from Hereford. Amy tells us how her experience of being hospitalised with meningitis in Spain was just the start of her ordeal

10-week-old Arthur had a rash that disappeared when his mum Colette did the glass test, so paramedics wrote off the possibility of meningitis

Baby Jenson was born prematurely but nothing could have prepared his parents for a diagnosis of meningitis and sepsis

Freya was waiting excitedly for her school disco when she started to feel poorly and had to be rushed to hospital with signs of meningitis

Janice can’t remember much of her quick decline into severe illness before an eventual meningitis diagnosis

Diana contracted meningococcal meningitis in her mid 20s, leading to lower leg amputations of both legs and all the fingers on her right hand

Kirsten was with her friend Alice throughout her meningitis experience in hospital and afterwards, we are grateful for the opportunity for Kirstin to tell Alice's story from her perspective

Jon contracted meningitis in 2018 whilst living and working in India, he recounts his story here

In the middle of the covid pandemic, 19-year-old Alice became ill and increasingly worse, fortunately the intervention of friends and family meant that an ambulance was called.

Helen had viral meningitis and was in hospital for two weeks, it has left her to this day with after-effects

At four-weeks-old Amelia became unwell, after treatment and extensiove tests it was confirme that she had contracted E-coli meningitis

Jake contracted pneumococcal meningitis in 2022 which left him with profound deafness in both ears requiring cochlear implants

Ten years ago Jasmine contracted meningitis. To mark the anniversary, she’s braving the shave for Meningitis Now

Rebecca was nearly 5 when she fell ill in 1987, Fortunately, her mum remembered seeing one of our awareness posters at the local GP surgery, which made her question an incorrect diagnosis and helped save Rebecca’s life

Holly from Weston super Mare in Somerset, went to hospital, where she spent a month while doctors investigated her meningitis

Diagnosed with meningococcal meningitis and septicaemia as a baby, Leo has been left with learning difficulties, and still faces further operations on his legs 17 years later

After daughter Ruby's diagnosis of bacterial meningitis, nurse Tracy has shared her tips for improving bowel health - something she is certain has helped Ruby's recovery

Sarah thought she had a migraine, but as tests showed the 26-year-old midwife had contracted meningococcal meningitis