Meningitis stories

Jenny contracted viral meningitis at age 26. Jenny had a very traumatic time undergoing nine lumber punctures in an attempt to find out whether she was suffering from bacterial or viral meningitis.

Michael contracted viral meningitis at just four-days-old.

Jacob had the misfortune to be diagnosed with meningitis three times in his short life, both bacterial and viral meningitis, which he contracted twice

Stephen's meningitis story began when a severe headache, lethargy, aching muscles and sensitivity to light struck in April and he knew something serious was wrong.

Charlene's son Connor was showing classic signs of meningitis when doctors sent him immediately to hospital.

Twenty-two-year-old Molly, from Bristol, thought she’d come down with a bad case of flu.

Arlene was pregnant when she was struck down with a severe headache, after investigation viral meningitis was confirmed.

Chloe, from Birmingham, is still struggling with the after-effects of viral meningitis two years after she first became ill.

Ethan had viral meningitis that had attacked his heart muscle, therefore his heart was unable to work properly.

It was confirmed Lenny had a strain of viral meningitis

Jackson was found to have contracted viral meningitis. Fortunately he’s made a good recovery, as Laura recounts here

I was told about the long term impact of viral meningitis at the hospital, but it was too much to take in to be honest

Just a few days after Christmas, Lesley's daughter Eva had a high temperature and didn't like being handled. After numerous tests in hospital, she was diagnosed with viral meningitis

Teresa’s daughter Rosie contracted viral meningitis nearly two years ago and until a few weeks ago was still suffering chronic after-effects

Trusting her instincts, Catherine felt there was more to it. She was right, Jess had viral meningitis

Tests showed Emily had contracted viral meningitis. Mum Tracey tells their story

An ambulance was called and hospital doctors swiftly diagnosed Nicola with viral meningitis. The 33-year-old mum tells her story here

Aria was just 6 weeks old when she became unwell with a high temperature and lack of appetite. Here, her mum Cara tells us their story

Like many people who survive both the viral and bacterial forms of meningitis, Thomas wasn’t the same afterwards.

Cadey, from Blackpool in Lancashire, was training as a student nurse when she contracted viral meningitis in April, she tells her story here

An unusual and whiney cry was the first thing that alerted Nicki that something was wrong with her daughter Emma

Thirty-year-old flight attendant Victoria, from Ilchester in Somerset, was struck down with viral meningitis last September.

During what she thought was a routine check-up that Donna discovered her daughter had contracted viral meningitis

I had the Meningitis Now app and looked at the other symptoms. One of them was to check the soft spot. I did; it was rock hard and sticking up. Then I knew

Naomi’s two-week-old daughter Emily had a slight temperature that just kept rising. Emily had picked up this virus from somewhere and it had got into her spinal fluid and resulted in viral meningitis

Sinead’s young son Alex was very sleepy and had a high temperature. The young mum, from Lisnaskea in Co. Fermanagh knew something was badly wrong and her doctor agreed

Dance student Jessie has been struck down by viral meningitis twice since first contracting it in April 2015. She has been told she has Mollaret’s Meningitis, a recurring form of the disease, and lives under the shadow of it returning.

Yasmin's baby daughter Amber from Sidcup, Kent contracted viral meningitis

Three-week-old Andy from Kettlebridge in Fife wouldn't feed, was screaming and running a temperature. It was a bank holiday so his anxious mum, Linsey, was advised to take him straight to hospital.

Andrea’s baby son Harris contracted viral meningitis not once but twice in the first few weeks of his young life. Thankfully the plucky youngster fought back both times and is now doing fine. Andrea, from Cumbernauld, tells their story here

Myrian, 42, from London, felt ‘not quite right’ for a while before suddenly being struck with the most intense headache. She’d contracted viral meningitis and following what was, at times, a dark and frightening experience.

Abbie’s five-week-old son Leo, from Weymouth in Dorset, was a sickly baby, which was why the family did not immediately recognise how poorly he was, with what turned out to be viral meningitis, here is what happened

Eleri had contracted viral meningitis. Mum Sioned takes up their story

Charleine’s young son Billy contracted viral meningitis at just six days old in October 2014. He had a high temperature, was very floppy and cried a lot

A day out in the sunshine quickly turned dark for Tom when he fell foul of viral meningitis in July 2015. The 38-year-old financial consultant from Brighton recounts his experience here

An opera singer is helping us make our voice heard as our annual Viral Meningitis Week campaign to get people talking about the disease takes place

Thirty-six-year-old Tracy, from Tipton in the West Midlands, collapsed with viral meningitis in January 2015. Now, 12 months on, she is still battling to come to terms with the impact it is having.

Jamie-Leigh Rockett, now 18, of Watford, had just finished her GCSE’s when she contracted viral meningitis in June 2012

Vicky Ross, 32 of Renfrewshire, suffered many symptoms, including a high temperature, extreme dehydration, aching muscles and extreme fatigue, when she contracted viral meningitis in November 2014

Shaney Gardner, of Canvey Island, Essex, was 20 in October 2014 when she developed an extremely painful headache and chronic sickness. She had come down with viral meningitis

Concerned mother, Natalie Hall, of Essex, immediately took her son, Sam, to see the out-of-hours GP when she noticed a rash on his skin.

Madison Coates fell ill with viral meningitis less than a year after launching her own business. The 25-year-old from Hemel Hempstead, who supported our Viral Meningitis Week this year, tells her story here

When five week old Harry wouldn’t wake for his feed, concerned mother, Helen Burnett, took him to A&E to get him checked over

Patricia Connolly, of Glenavy in Northern Ireland, saw viral meningitis take the life of her 20-year-old daughter Caitriona 10 years ago

Sixteen-year-old Emily, from Exmouth in Devon, contracted a severe case of viral meningitis in February 2014

Tamily Butterton dismissed her severe headache, putting it down to too much sleep. But, in the middle of the night, her headache worsened and following advice from the out of hours doctor, Tamily called an ambulance.

Here Holly tells how both she and her daughter Brooke battled meningitis.

Julie’s son Joshua contracted viral meningitis when he was 8-years-old. He suffered headaches, sickness and flu-like symptoms and was taken to the doctor

Kelly’s illness started with a headache which became more and more severe. She developed a feeling of unease down the centre of her chest and stomach

She was in and out of her GP’s surgery before she was finally admitted to hospital, where a lumbar puncture diagnosed her condition

Our Ambassador Petra Stunt, née Ecclestone, was struck down with viral meningitis as a teenager

Lennon had already had various medical problems from the age of six months. Then, in July 2012 when he was three years old, he was diagnosed with viral meningitis.

When Dave Hancock woke at 5am with a splitting headache he knew it was more than just a migraine. Taking a couple of painkillers he went back to bed and hoped the pain would stop

In July 2012 Terri had viral meningitis and found it “one of the scariest and most surreal experiences” of her life; losing the use of her body and mind in 48 hours

In September 2012, Mark Shore, from Oswestry, began feeling unwell with flu-like symptoms. When his partner saw how ill he was, she made him to go to the doctors.

Lisa Snowdon became a Celebrity Ambassador for Meningitis Now after experiencing the terror of meningitis herself, when she was struck down with viral meningitis in December 2010. The DJ and model had battled against her symptoms to continue with work com

David Fay had been suffering from flu-like symptoms before he was rushed to hospital at the end of April, 2010

Chloe, 23, of Manchester, contracted viral meningitis in September 2012 when she was 21. Her symptoms included drowsiness, severe headache, stomach pains, sensitivity to sound and noise, a stiff neck and confusion.

The lack of understanding by some of the healthcare professionals she saw was really frustrating for Jane – one reason why she’s sharing her viral meningitis story.

In October 2012 Hayley’s beautiful baby girl Amber was born. For the first couple of days all was well. However, when Amber was just five days Hayley noticed she was extremely unwell. Amber had contracted viral meningitis.

Paul contracted viral meningitis the week before his 30th birthday. He suffered severe headaches, photophobia, sickness, a high temperature, fever, cold feet and aching and shivers. After several home visits by his GP and a call to Gdocs he was taken by a

Zoe’s beautiful daughter Willow was born six weeks premature and came home after spending six days in hospital. But she was lethargic and not feeding properly. Here Zoe recounts what happened next

In February this year, Laura B noticed that her baby son Lewis was crying differently to normal. Sensing something was wrong, she took him to her GP. He was eventually diagnosed with viral meningitis.

In March 2013, 25 year old Emma Thompson from Paignton in Devon, began to feel unwell. She hadn't heard of viral meningitis before, but now she will never forget it.

In December 2012 Amanda-Jayne Buckland, 30 from Norfolk, began suffering from excruciating headaches. Days later, she woke up in hospital, blind and confused, to be told she had viral meningitis.

In March 2012, Leila gave birth to her son Frazer. Seven days later, he contracted viral meningitis.

In October 2011, Katie Atkinson was working as a paramedic when she was diagnosed with viral meningitis. It left her with severe after-effects, which forced her to change the job she loved.

Rachel speaks about how unwell she felt at work, so instead of going home she checked into a hotel and was then rushed to hospital and, after treatment, discovered she was battling viral meningitis.

One evening in March 2010, Lynne Harding from Aldershot fell asleep after feeling unwell. She woke up four days later in hospital; she had contracted both pneumococcal and viral meningitis.

Life for the Friedli family changed dramatically in 2007 when dad, Andy, contracted viral meningitis. The pain and trauma was felt by the whole family – especially daughter Nicola, three, who was frightened her daddy may die.

Jonathan Davies, 50, was leading an active life, training for his first open water sea triathlon, when viral meningitis struck. He thought "I'll give it a couple of days and I’ll be back to normal." Not quite.