Some people are lucky enough to survive meningitis, but even then the effects can be long-lasting, for both the patient and their family and friends. Philipa Coughlan knows all too well the horror of this disease
Every day she is grateful that her son Sean pulled through.
At just 10 weeks old he contracted meningococcal septicaemia and also a brain haemorrhage and his chances of survival were touch and go for a while. Thankfully Sean pulled through and is now a happy-go-lucky little boy. His family have never forgotten the shock of the ordeal and continue to raise awareness about the disease. Sean is a budding writer and has written about what happened to him when he was a baby.
"My life changing experience was when I was only a few months old. I was infected with meningitis. My family tell me it was the worst kind of it too. I was very fortunate to survive. I had to stay in hospital over a long period of time and I was only let out for Christmas. When I was at home I had to wear some stuff on my head to heal it.
"When I went back to the hospital I had a big operation to either cure me or seal my fate before I even figured out how to do everything I now do. I don't know how long the operation took or what happened in the operation but I do know that I was lucky, very lucky to be here today and be having a fun life with lots of surprises. I realise what I could have missed in my life. I am so glad I survived, I really am."
