“The reason for Meningitis Now being a beneficiary of our wills is to provide funds for research to continue into meningitis to find vaccines, to help rebuild the lives of people affected by this and hopefully to stop families having to go through what I went through with my daughter Emma 25 years ago.
“Since then the charity has been amazing to myself and my wife, Lynda, Emma’s stepmum, and we just want to give something back. Being involved with Meningitis Now for the last 25 years is the one good thing that came out of losing Emma.
“My daughter Emma lost her fight against the C strain of meningitis in 1999, aged just 15.
Only speculate what she would have done with her life
“What she would have done with her life we shall never know; we can only speculate.
“Emma fell ill after a night out with friends on the 23rd of January. She just thought she’d picked up a bug the night before, but her condition worsened and after seeing a doctor the next day she was immediately sent to the A and E at Bristol Children’s Hospital. Initially she was diagnosed with Toxic Shock Syndrome.
“At this point we did not realise what was to happen over the next 10 days, as I myself had survived meningitis as a child.
“Over the coming days Emma’s condition worsened. The rash commonly associated with meningitis had appeared and was becoming more widespread. At this point we didn’t think for one moment that we would lose her.
Bring the family in and say our goodbyes
“But, her condition worsened and towards the end of the week we were told to bring the family in and say our goodbyes, as they didn’t expect her to survive.
“She kept fighting, but a brain function examination showed no activity.
“That night, in the early hours of the morning Emma was christened in a very moving ceremony by the resident chaplain, myself, Emma’s mum and a couple of nurses.
“The following day we were told that Emma had no chance of regaining consciousness and the best thing would be to let her go.
“Emma’s mum and I spent our last couple of hours with her saying our goodbyes and after her medicines and machines that were keeping her alive were switched off she slipped away from us at 12.53 on the 3rd of February 1999.
Felt our lives had been destroyed
“From that first Monday when Emma became ill our lives would never be the same and on the 3rd of February we felt our lives had been destroyed.
“Over the following weeks I saw a poster about taking on the Three Peaks Challenge for Meningitis Now (then the Meningitis Trust). I completed that first challenge in September 1999 and have been on every Three Peaks Challenge since, joining the safety team to support others to achieve their goal after some eight years.
“I have over the years developed close friendships with these people and it has been an absolute privilege to be part of such an amazing group of people. Over the years I have met some incredibly amazing people on the Three Peaks, whose stories and courage have been truly inspirational.
Meningitis Now has always been there for me and my family
“Meningitis Now has always been there for me and my family. The one positive I take from losing Emma is that I have met some amazing people along the way and made some lasting friendships.
“That’s why my wife, Lynda and I have made Meningitis Now a beneficiary of our wills. Hopefully our story will encourage other people to leave a legacy in their will to Meningitis Now to fight against this disease in the future and help protect our children and families.
“It’s vital to provide funds for research into meningitis to continue, to find vaccines, to help rebuild the lives of people affected and hopefully to stop families having to go through what we went through with Emma. The charity has been amazing to myself and Lynda and now we just want to give something back.”
If your dream, like Geoff, Lynda’s and ours is to help protect our children and families and make meningitis a disease of the past, and you’d like to be part of our future as we work towards this, please leave a gift in your will to Meningitis Now.
Your gift could support research that finds new and improves existing vaccines to save lives and prevent disability. It could help give people the knowledge and confidence to recognise the signs and symptoms of meningitis and take fast action, saving lives through awareness and education.
Be one of the generation to beat meningitis. To find out more about creating a will get in touch with us via our website.
