Meningitis stories

Lynne was diagnosed with viral meningitis last year, after she suffered a blinding headache, lost her balance and collapsed. Thankfully, with support from Meningitis Now, she is making a good recovery

Baby Mia was barely a day old when she started twitching, prompting her mum to take her to A&E where she was diagnosed with bacterial meningitis

Imogen had a severe headache and was slurring her speech. She rang her mum, who insisted she phone 111 before rushing round to take her to A&E, where meningitis was diagnosed

When Rebecca's migraine medication didn't touch the severe headache she had, she knew something wasn't right. Her GP sent her to A&E, where she was diagnosed with viral meningitis

After being diagnosed with pneumococcal meningitis and an abscess on his brain, the future for baby Zachary was looking uncertain. Thankfully, he pulled through but faces regular reviews and antibiotics

Tim, from Totterdown in Bristol, was one of the children caught up in the original meningitis outbreak in Stroud in the 1980s that saw the birth of Meningitis Now. He tells his story here

10 minutes after leaving hospital with a diagnosis of cluster headaches, Thomas had a seizure caused by what turned out to be bacterial meningitis

After initially thinking that she had swallowed a battery, doctors were soon treating Evie for both bacterial and viral meningitis after her temperature soared and she became very confused

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

Mark contracted bacterial meningitis twice – and has now thanked Meningitis Now for the support he was given to help him on his road to recovery

When Jill’s newborn baby fell ill in July last year she was told it was “just viral meningitis”. Initially relieved, she started reading up on it and realised there was no “just” about it.

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

Maria thought her headache was a result of treatment for an existing medical condition, but as her symptoms worsened she knew something was wrong

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

Two years ago, Gemma was diagnosed with viral meningitis after flu-like symptoms became more severe. Read her story

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

Kevin contracted viral meningitis as a child, but wasn't treated until damage to his optic nerve had been done. He now co-hosts a podcast encouraging men to talk about their struggles in life

Joanne was 29 when she contracted meningitis in 2009; now, with coping techniques and medication, she is able to manage her after-effects

Cat was in her first year at uni when she was struck down by viral meningitis. Four years on, with support from Meningitis Now, she is learning to manage her after-effects