My Story

In 2017, my friends and I attended V Festival and were having a great time.
The first day had passed, and in the middle of the night, I woke up feeling completely dehydrated and desperate for fluids. I blamed it on the alcohol from the night and desperately tried to rehydrate myself.

The following day, I woke up with a severe headache, a redder face than usual, and couldn’t lift my head from the pillow. My friends became concerned because I usually push through hangovers, but this time was different. Despite feeling unwell, I prepared for day 2.

Unable to eat or drink anything, I accepted the fact that it would be a sober day, enjoying the performances on stage. However, while walking with a friend, I suddenly felt a rush like pins and needles up my neck and head. Informing her that something was about to happen to me, I collapsed, experiencing a seizure.

Festival-goers made jokes, assuming I was on drugs, but my friends recognised something was wrong. They called an ambulance, and I was quickly taken to the medics tent, where I was connected to a drip. At that point, I couldn’t recall basic information like my address or the acts I had seen. However, as I received treatment, my senses gradually returned.

After leaving the medics tent, I tried to find my friends to continue the party, but my movements were slow and laboured due to exhaustion. Despite suspecting something was amiss, I dismissed it and assured myself I would be fine. 

Upon meeting my friends, they noticed a rash on my body, my complexion remained extremely red, and it was decided to send me home. During the journey, I couldn’t keep any fluids down and vomitted in the process.

Once home, my housemate called 111 for advice, and they recommended taking me to the hospital immediately with suspected bacterial meningitis.

At that point, my consciousness started to fade, and I struggled to keep my eyes open. I was hooked up to various machines and rushed to the ICU, where I spent days drifting in and out of consciousness, confused about what had happened and what was occurring. It turned out to be bacterial meningitis, which had attacked the lining of my brain and was slowly progressing to the brain itself.

Following a lumbar puncture and various treatments, including steroids, I began to feel like myself again. Thankfully, I made a full recovery and was discharged after one week.

I had never thought I would be affected by any disease, but meningitis can impact people of any age, regardless of their health or fitness level.

Bacterial meningitis is the most common and dangerous type, capable of causing death within 24 hours.

Meningitis is a devastating disease with a high case fatality rate and the potential for severe long-term complications. It remains a significant global public health challenge, caused by various organisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites.

Bacterial meningitis is of particular concern, as 1 in 6 people who contract this type die, and 1 in 5 experience severe complications. It can be transmitted through excessive alcohol consumption, being in large crowds, or general bacterial exposure.

I was fortunate to have an amazing group of friends who acted quickly to get me the necessary help, and I will forever be grateful to everyone involved.

A significant consequence of this experience was the mental struggle I faced after being discharged from the hospital. 

The only person I knew who had also had the disease had tragically died, leaving me without anyone to reach out to. I found myself bursting into tears on the treadmill at the gym for no apparent reason, experiencing migraine-like symptoms, struggling in bright environments, and feeling alone. 

One day, I reached out to the Meningitis Research Foundation and spoke to an advisor who explained my feelings and provided reassurance as I tearfully shared my experience over the phone.

Since that ordeal, I’ve been determined to raise awareness and funds for the charity. I have decided to run three marathons in Brighton, London, and Leeds to support the ongoing research into meningitis and, hopefully, find a cure to prevent others from contracting this dreadful disease.

Any donation would be greatly appreciated to help me raise money for a fantastic, and necessary, charity. 

Thank you,
Sam xxx