“My seven-month-old baby girl Amelia had recently recovered from bronchiolitis, but only looked a little sleepy when she woke up that morning.
“I had a housing appointment with Chelmsford City Council at 10.30 and, when I got into the interview room, I noticed Amelia was struggling to breathe. Her face went a very pale shade of purple and her lips turned blue. She was very limp and couldn’t even hold her head up. The last thing to appear was a rash that covered her from head to toe.
“Twenty minutes later we were in an ambulance going to Broomfield Hospital. Amelia was greeted by a team on arrival. She was rushed straight to resus and there were 13 doctors all working on her little body. That’s when I was told it was meningitis.
“She was given antibiotics and was worked on non-stop at Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford, and then transported to King George's, Tooting, where she was continued to be worked on.
“She got over one cardiac arrest at 10.15pm but unfortunately didn't make it through the second arrest ten minutes later and passed away at 10:45pm on the 4th of December.
“I take comfort that I was with her for the last few seconds of her life.
“She was the happiest, bubbliest little girl. She had a big personality and was such a great character. She’d always cheer people up with her cheeky smile and she loved all the attention we’d give her.
“She achieved so much on this earth in such a short amount of time. We will miss her so dearly.
“We will be holding a charity even in the New Year in memory of Amelia, where all money raised will be donated to Meningitis Now.”