Meningitis Survivor Starts School

16 September 2013, 06:00

At the start of Meningitis and Septicaemia Awareness Week Hearts been speaking to the mum of a 4 year old surviver from Hertfordshire.

George Furness, from Bushey, caught meningitis when he was 23 months old

His mum Emily says:

"He had a very high fever, went off his food, was tired and restless just not himself at all so we put him to bed that evening and checked on him throughout the night but it wasn't until I noticed a rash developing that I realised it was really serious"

George was very ill and spent a week in intensive care.

Fortunately, he pulled through with no serious lasting effects.

Now, he's started school, a time Emily once feared she might never see:

"There was a moment where we thought he might not make it, which is why now birthdays, Christmas's, all those anniversaries are so special now and seeing him go off to school in his school uniform is just amazing"

For Meningitis and Septicaemia Awareness Week Emily wants all parents to be aware of the signs and symptoms of meningitis.

She's also calling for the Government to reconsider their decision not to make a vaccination for meningitis strain B available in the UK.

She says the vaccination will save lives and stop other parents going though what she did two years ago.