Family tell of devastation in bid to raise awareness
15.01.10
A GLASTONBURY family have spoken of their devastation after their seven-year-old daughter died from meningitis less than 36 hours after playing happily in the snow.
Jasmine Clare was photographed by her local newspaper as central Somerset lay under a blanket of snow last Thursday.
The photograph has been published to encourage people to be vigilant for the symptoms of the disease, highlighting just how quickly it can strike.
"This picture was taken the day before our little girl was so tragically taken away from us," said Simon Clare, Jasmine's father.
"Jasmine died in the early hours of Saturday morning from meningitis. She was told on Thursday by photographer Jason Bryant that it was a brilliant picture and would hopefully be on the front page this week.
"She was so excited to think that she was going to be in the newspaper - words cannot express the sadness and emptiness that we feel, she was our little angel always smiling and always happy.
"Rest In Peace Babs - with love from Mummy, Daddy, your big sister Ellie and all the family."
Jasmine was a pupil at St John's Infant School in Glastonbury, and had been at school on Friday, when she complained of feeling unwell and was sent home to her parents.
Just a few hours later, her condition took a dramatic turn for the worse, and only a few hours after that, she lost her battle against meningitis.
The head teacher at St John's Infant School, Wendy Turner, paid tribute to Jasmine saying that the little girl's death had hit pupils and staff at the school hard.
"We want to sent our greatest sympathy to the family," she said.
"The children in the school have been expressing their precious memories of Jasmine - how she loved to dance and sing, play mermaids, draw and colour pictures, and how she enjoyed making people happy.
"She was a lovely little girl with a sunny personality and she will be missed by all her friends and teachers at St John's Infants School.
"The school will be holding a special ceremony in memory of Jasmine later in the term."
Kate Rowland, head of development at Meningitis UK, will be visiting St John's Infant School on Thursday to speak to pupils and their parents.
The charity says it's important that everyone's aware of the full range of symptoms in the wake of Jasmine's death, especially as the cold winter months lead to a rise in cases.
Steve Dayman, the chief executive of Meningitis UK who lost his own son Spencer to the disease in 1982, said: "We were saddened to hear about Jasmine's sudden death from meningitis.
"To lose a child to a terrible disease like this is the biggest emotional challenge a parent can face and my heart goes out to Jasmine's family.
"Meningitis is an especially cruel disease because of the speed at which it strikes, sometimes killing in as little as four hours.
"Unfortunately, cases of meningitis rise during the cold winter months because of weakened immune systems and germs spreading more easily because people stay inside.
"Meningitis can often be incredibly difficult to detect as the symptoms are hard to distinguish from cold or flu, plus there are occasions when people show no or very few symptoms."
Meningitis UK is dedicated to funding vaccine research to eradicate the disease through its Search 4 a Vaccine Campaign.
Although successful vaccines exist to protect against some strains, there is still no vaccine available to protect against the most common form - meningococcal group B.
Meningitis UK is offering the public free symptoms information packs to help raise awareness. These include a leaflet with all the facts and frequently asked questions, plus a ‘Check the Symptoms' fridge magnet and a handy wallet-sized symptoms card.
To order your free symptoms information pack, please call 0117 373 73 73 or visit www.meningitisUK.org
MeningitisUK · Registered Charity No.1076774
Comments
Comments are temporarily closed for this article