Meningitis stories

Once the figurehead of the family, Simon now lives with life-changing after-effects of bacterial meningitis - including severe memory loss, mobility issues and hearing loss

Kerry MacKinnon thought she was getting a migraine, but as her headache became worse it became clear that she was seriously ill. Here she explains how she survived meningitis.

Jonathan Davies, 50, was leading an active life and training for his first open water sea triathlon when viral meningitis struck. He thought "I'll give it a couple of days and I’ll be back to normal." Not quite...

When Dave Hancock woke at 5am with a splitting headache he knew it was more than just a migraine. Taking a couple of painkillers he went back to bed and hoped the pain would stop

In September 2012, Mark Shore, from Oswestry, began feeling unwell with flu-like symptoms. When his partner saw how ill he was, she made him to go to the doctors.

Chloe, 23, of Manchester, contracted viral meningitis in September 2012 when she was 21. Her symptoms included drowsiness, severe headache, stomach pains, sensitivity to sound and noise, a stiff neck and confusion.

Before meningitis Andy, now 62, was a bar manager, working long hours but as a result of his illness he struggled to walk or even stand for any period of time and struggled to remember things.

Life for the Friedli family changed dramatically in 2007 when dad, Andy, contracted viral meningitis. The pain and trauma was felt by the whole family – especially daughter Nicola, three, who was frightened her daddy may die.

On Boxing Day in 2006, Emma Howell, was suffering with a headache so severe, that she was taken to hospital by her worried parents. Emma, from Aberdare in Wales, was later diagnosed with meningoencephalitis HSV1; a form of viral meningitis.