David Coppin
Aged 19 years
Survivor
When Lorraine Coppin boarded a train to Coventry to visit her son David at university, she had no idea he was already dangerously ill with meningococcal septicaemia.
The drama began to unfold on October 31, 2009, when he said he felt too ill to collect her from the train station.
Lorraine explained: "I got a taxi to his halls and when I went through the gates I heard a voice shouting mum.
"David was really disorientated and couldn't see anything. I don't know how he made it down three flights of stairs.
"He was sweating and just collapsed in front of me and started fitting on the floor. I put my coat under his head and someone called for an ambulance."
Doctors at Accident and Emergency initially suspected swine flu and moved him to an isolation ward as he slipped in and out of consciousness.
Later that evening Lorraine asked for a priest to come from the hospital's chapel and David was anointed.
Then Dr Gowda came on duty and spotted a tell-tale rash on David's neck, which was difficult to see because of his dark skin.
Lorraine added: "David had been slipping away before our eyes until Dr Ravi Gowda examined him and diagnosed meningitis.
"David started fighting back immediately once his medication was changed. I knew meningitis could cause brain damage and the loss of limbs but tried to push this to the back of my mind.
"He was put in a coma for a week and tests showed gradual improvement. They tried waking him up the first time but he was still disoriented.
"But he was ok the second time and we could tell his brain wasn't damaged, which was such a relief. I started screaming with joy. All the staff were cheering too. It was unbelievable.
"I still pinch myself everyday. I can't believe David's still here and is now on the road to recovery."
Lorraine also paid tribute to the intensive care team, led by Dr Murthy, and all the nurses on ward 30.
Dr Gowda later described David as an "inspiration" after the teenager recovered virtually unscathed from severe meningococcal septicaemia, which caused several of his organs to fail.
He said it was difficult to spot the rash on David skin because he is black and added: "David's recovery was a good example of team effort within University Hospital, Coventry and the high quality care that we aspire to."
David returned home to London where he gradually regained his strength after losing one-and-a-half stone in weight.
Lorraine shared their experience in support of Meningitis UK's campaign to raise awareness of the disease among the student population.
Teenagers and those up to the age of 24 are the second most at-risk group from the killer brain bug, behind children under five.
The number of cases peak in the winter months, so students need to be extra vigilant to the signs and symptoms at this time of the year.
MeningitisUK · Registered Charity No.1076774