Personal Stories
Meningitis, Meningococcal and Pneumococcal touch many families across Australia every year. Every story will bring tears to your eyes – This is the reason Meningitis Centre Australia is here. Read their life-changing story below! These combined experiences are powerful testimony to support disease awareness and prevention at a national level.
Meningitis touches many families across Australia every year.
Below are personal stories from Australians who have faced meningitis.
Telling your story could help others
Your contribution may assist another person or family who may read about your experience and where you are today.
Oscar’s Story
Easter Sunday 2018 It was around 9.30pm Easter Sunday when Phill got Oscar out of his cot
Bella’s Story
Bella was one of the most beautiful girls on the outside, but she also had the kindest
Claudia’s Story
I am Claudia! I am 18 and from NSW. This is my Meningococcal Meningitis story. This story
Sarah’s Journey to Hell
It was August 2016 and I was 30 years old. I had reached the peak of my
Finn The Great!
This is Finn’s story told through the eyes of his mother Sarah. He contracted Meningococcal B septicaemia
My Sister Ashleigh
“Isn’t she the picture of health!” My great grandad says about my sister Ashleigh. That very same day Ashleigh began to develop symptoms of Pneumococcal Meningtis. She was only 6 months of age.
Our boy Deano, forever in our hearts
The weekend was as busy and chaotic as every other. We have three children – Josie who
Kristen’s University Nightmare
My brush with Meningococcal Meningitis started on Anzac Day, 25 April 1998 at the age of 19
Cooper’s story, at 5 weeks old
A team from the city children’s hospital came to collect Cooper and took him to their neonatal intensive care. When he arrived tests were completed and they confirmed meningococcal meningitis (later to be confirmed as type B).
Mum’s perspective on pneumococcal
Roger complained of a headache one night at about 8.00pm as he was on his way to bed. I tucked him into bed and told him I would check on him later. When it was time to check him, he had fallen asleep and I decided against waking him. Later that night at about midnight, Roger woke complaining of an intense headache and started to vomit.
Mikayla’s meningococcal story
When we got to the hospital I was taken to intensive care, what I saw is forever burned into my memory. My baby was hooked up to what seemed like tons of cords and her whole body was as purple as a plum. I was told that she had meningococcal septicaemia. The doctors and nurses were doing all they could.
Teagan’s Hib meningitis story
I can only thank the GP for her action and that she did not dismiss my concern and consider me an overprotective mother.
Hollee’s Story
THE last time I saw my sister Hollee was at the Fremantle train station. Alannis Morrisette was playing on the radio as I dropped her at the station to catch a train to go home after spending time with us during the April school holidays, 1996.
Nathaniel’s Pneumococcal Story – Regional Australia
In the end we were flown to a strange interstate city where we knew no one and we thought we might not bring Nathaniel home again.
Lily’s Story
My beautiful daughter Lily was ten and a half months old, a happy and healthy baby, when she died from pneumococcal meningitis.
Riley’s Pneumococcal Story
At 3am the doctor came in and confirmed that Riley had pneumococcal meningitis and outlined what the treatment would be.
My very vivid memory of the grave look on the doctors faces did not fill me with a great deal of confidence, coupled with the statement that they “will do all they can”.
Chloe’s Viral Meningitis Story
When Chloe was seen by the doctors in the early stages of the disease she was checked many times for neck stiffness, which she did not have. She only showed signs of neck stiffness much later in the course of the infection. I think it is important to point out that the symptoms of meningitis do not all occur and don’t always occur at the same time.
My son was diagnosed with meningococcal twice
Our second experience with meningitis came when Kristian was two and a half years old. We travelled between countries before being told our son had meningococcal septicaemia.
Cameron’s Pneumococcal Story
April 3 1996 changed our lives forever, it is the day that we lost our hopes and dreams as first time parents and started a completely new journey. We are 17 years later… Jane Danzi is now author of the blog, This is No Ordinary Kid.
Lisa’s Story
What happened to me was one thing. Yet what has happened every day of my life ever since is far more profound. The intense pain of my hospitalisation and the complications I experienced have faded in my memory, but the struggle of life in a wheelchair, of public reactions to my disability, to the beaurocratic processing of getting back into the workforce, and getting my license back has taken an immense period of my young life to adapt to.
