Meningitis stories

Since contracting pneumococcal meningitis as a baby, Sophia has been left with complex and life-long after-effects; but as mum Joanna explains, these do not define her

Connie was feverish and lethargic, but when her fontanelle started bulging, her parents knew they had to get help - quickly

Chris was forced to resuscitate his four-day-old daughter Skye when she stopped breathing while feeding and went limp. Mum Sophie shares their story

Baby Ellie was originally placed on a Covid ward when she was rushed to hospital on Father's Day last year, but by midnight she was being treated for meningitis

58-year-old Bernard woke up on a life support machine, nine days after being sent home from hospital with a diagnosis of measles. He had contracted meningococcal septicaemia and was lucky to be alive

Despite her physical recovery, Lucy has been left with a number of after-effects after contracting MenC, including short-term memory issues and survivor guilt

Hours after Abigail's arrival into the world, she was rushed back into hospital when she started to jerk her head and make strange noises

Doctors initially thought Jade had a kidney infection when she became ill with a severe headache and aching muscles, but once in hospital she was diagnosed with viral meningitis

Parents Emily and Adam were told to expect the worst when baby George developed complications after a diagnosis of viral meningitis

Mum Beverley was identified as Strep B positive while pregnant, but a few weeks after baby Asher was born he started showing signs of Group B Strep meningitis

Hours after Liam had first complained of a sore throat and light sensitivity, he needed to be placed in an induced coma as he battled meningococcal meningitis

Hazel was only a few weeks old when she was diagnosed with Group B Strep. Now 25, she has had a number of brain surgeries to alleviate pressure on her brain

Tests revealed that Jamielee's baby boy Leon was suffering from meningococcal type Y, which has left him with complex after-effects; but she is so glad that she was able to bring him home

Miranda struggled to access medical help that she desperately needed when she became ill in August this year. She has now been left with severe after-effects of meningococcal meningitis

Neil was on holiday when he started acting out of character, and within days he had developed severe headaches, light sensitivity, anxiety and confusion

Now in her teens, Eleanor discovered that she had suffered with viral meningitis when she was hospitalised as a baby. But she is determined that her after-effects won't hold her back

After watching her oldest son battle meningitis, Holly couldn't believe that history was repeating itself two years later when baby Jasper became ill

Now 15, Luke was 8 weeks old when he contracted meningococcal septicaemia, resulting in him losing the digits on his left hand

Against the odds, Susan pulled through her bacterial meningitis experience, but it has left her with a number of after-effects including the partial loss of two fingers

When Nikki was discharged from hospital after being diagnosed with viral meningitis, she hadn't realised she would continue to feel unwell