Meningitis researchers, campaigners and advisers from around the world gathered recently to say farewell to Meningitis Now honorary Medical Director Professor Simon Kroll, as he retired from his position as Professor of Paediatrics and Molecular Infectious Diseases at Imperial College and St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington
Guests at his valedictory one-day research meeting at Imperial College in London included Meningitis Now founder Steve Dayman, ex-CEO Sue Davie and current CEO Dr Tom Nutt.
Professor Kroll was appointed to his role with Meningitis Now in 2009 after already being involved with our work for a number of years. Although retiring from his University Chair, Professor Kroll will continue to work with Meningitis Now, and has recently been appointed a member of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).
Professor Kroll said that, looking back on his career, he really valued his involvement first with the Meningitis Trust and latterly with Meningitis Now.
“For 30 years my career, first at Oxford University and then at Imperial College, has been about treating children ill with sometimes life-threatening infections; researching to develop vaccines to prevent meningitis; and working in the public domain, on committees of national bodies such as JCVI, Public Health England and NICE, concerned with developing diagnosis and treatment guidelines and implementing the vaccine programme”, he said.
“But it’s been my involvement with Meningitis Now that’s kept the families real for me."
“With the tremendous developments in meningitis vaccines the disease has become rarer, but of course it hasn’t gone away altogether. And we cannot forget the long-lasting impact that meningitis can have on families affected by the disease. Those life-long and life-changing consequences can all too easily be forgotten by those who don’t have regular contact with families. I have so valued my involvement with Meningitis Now which has kept the importance of preventing meningitis at the forefront of my mind.”
We wish Professor Kroll well in his retirement – even though we have a feeling we will still be seeing plenty more of him!
