Personal Meningitis Stories
Kathryn & Michael

It was Boxing Day 1989 and our family was attending a friend's outdoor party. Our six-month-old daughter Ashleigh was the star of the day and had her first swim in a pool. Next morning, Ashleigh wasn't acting like herself...
Bruce & Jenni
Australia

On account of our ignorance about meningitis, we lost our daughter Audrey. She was 12 years old and died from meningococcal C meningitis after 24 hours of pain, vomiting, fever, skin discolorations (purpura) and sensitivity to light.
France
Jimmy & Veronique

Our youngest son, Ondra, who is now 5½ years old, became seriously ill with pneumococcal meningitis at 22 months of age. We can say that he was fortunate because he survived...
Rudolf & Katherine
Czech Republic

On 23 July 2013, my 24 year old brother Tyler Parker died from meningitis. In the week leading up to this day he had been complaining about pain and stiffness in his neck, along with a headache...
Chandler
USA

Cameron was 5 ½ months old when he developed pneumococcal meningitis in a remote country town in Western Australia...
Cameron
Australia

My scars are my story and I am proud of them. I embrace the curious stares of strangers. Most of all, I hope they stare at my art and see that I am following my dreams.
Sam
USA
More personal stories

My life changed forever on January 31, 2013 at 8:15 a.m. Before that moment, I was a proud busy mom juggling a career and being a mom and wife with 3 beautiful children – Karly 21, Emily 19, and Zachary 16...
Alicia
USA

One sunny morning, I went to the post office and left my fiancé, Jane, making breakfast. She called me 20 minutes later with a very weak voice saying that she had collapsed on the floor and to get home quickly...
Kevin and Jane
Thailand

My son Ryan was born on 10 August 2006. He was a healthy 8lbs 1oz baby. He was so funny, so cute, with big blue eyes and blonde hair. He was perfect. I had a beautiful baby boy for 14 months...
Courtney & Bryan
USA

My daughter MaryJo was a beautiful, multitalented, vibrant and well-travelled young woman when she contracted meningococcemia just 8 days before her 16th birthday in July 2000...
Rose & Maryjo
USA
Some days are easier than others for Siobhan and Noel Carroll, but there is never an easy day. Siobhan and Noel's lives changed in a heartbeat when their eldest child, Aoibhe, passed away on 2 April 2008.
Siobhan & Noel
Ireland

Amy was on a family holiday when her younger brothers, aged seven and four, both developed meningitis within 24 hours of each other.
Amy
UK

I am a mother of two girls and a boy. The youngest of my girls is now an angel. In 2010, our lives changed within hours after the sudden death of my three-year-old daughter Chelsea from meningococcal meningitis.