Her daughter Bethany had contracted meningococcal meningitis and septicaemia and urgently required life-saving treatment.
Becky recounts the story that changed their lives.
“On 4th February 2008 my daughter Bethany contracted meningococcal septicaemia at just four and a half months old. It started with a very high temperature. She had no rash but something was telling me to get her checked-out.
I phoned the Shropdoc out-of-hours emergency line and luckily they knew straight away what was wrong. As they told me, my heart sank. Bethany needed life-saving treatment straight away.
Bethany was transferred to ICU in Stoke hospital. As she lay there, now covered in a rash, I was scared she wasn’t going to make it after being told what this illness could do."
A small price to pay
“After five days Bethany’s condition started to improve and she was taken off most of her medication. We were obviously over the moon but we were told they couldn’t save Bethany’s leg below the knee. She had to have it amputated which was devastating, but a small price to pay as we could have lost her completely.
Bethany will always need operations and she struggles on a daily basis wearing her prosthetic leg, but she's amazing and tries her best at everything she does. We are all so proud of her!”
Meningitis and septicaemia often happen together and can kill within hours. Remaining vigilant of all the signs and symptoms, trusting your instincts and seeking medical help quickly can save lives. Do not wait for a rash.
