We’ve just launched our latest appeal asking for your donations to help us continue to run our vital Helpline and counselling services
As part of the appeal we’ve also set up a Friendship Wall, where you can add a message and show your support to people still suffering because of meningitis, please leave a message to help those fighting back from this devastating disease.
Our Helpline service is a vital part of what we do and every month more than 500 people contact it. Likewise our trained counsellors, who are available across the country to help anyone suffering because of meningitis.
People like Thomas and his mum Jayne.
Memory still haunts
The memory of her 16-year-old son fighting for his life in a hospital bed still haunts Jayne. But what she didn’t know then was that 12 months later Thomas would still be in torment and she would know nothing about it. Like many people who survive both the viral and bacterial forms of meningitis, Thomas wasn’t the same afterwards
For months, he suffered in silence from devastating after-effects. In his case, it was severe headaches, which he kept secret from his mum and dad because he didn’t want to cause them any more pain. Eventually it became too much to bear. One night he broke down and asked his mum to help him end his life. He simply couldn’t cope with the pain any longer.
Needed help
“I needed help so I rang Meningitis Now,” said Jayne. “All I wanted was someone to hold our hands and tell us it was going to get better.”
Our Helpline staff were there to help. They told Jayne about how the Meningitis Now counselling service could help Thomas. They also spent time talking to her, reassuring her and showing her that she wasn’t alone.
“When nobody else listened, Meningitis Now did,” Jayne said.
Our trained Helpline staff told Jayne about the Meningitis Now counselling service and how it could help Thomas to have a trained therapist to talk to. They also spent time talking to Jayne, reassuring her and showing her that she wasn’t alone. We were there for her too.
Much better
Since attending our counselling sessions, Thomas is much better and is finding ways to cope with life after meningitis.
We know that less than half of those people suffering the potentially extensive and destructive after-effects of meningitis are getting access to the support and information they need. That is why our free helpline and counselling services are so vital.
