Megan puts heart into raising cash for Meningitis UK

17.02.10

A NEWTON Abbot teenager has been spreading the love at work to raise over £300 towards eradicating the disease which almost killed her brother.

Inspirational youngster Jack Craw lost a leg and some fingers when he was struck down by a deadly form of meningitis in 2004.

His sister Megan, 20, organised a Valentine's Day fundraiser for Meningitis UK to raise awareness of the brain bug at the time of the year when people are most at risk.

The 30 staff members at Rentshield Direct, on the Broadmeadow Trading Estate in Teignmouth, dressed up in pink and red for the day, took part in a cake bake competition and some even had their legs waxed.

Brave Danny Hoyle endured 33 wax strips to raise an impressive £200 in sponsorship.

All the money raised will go towards Meningitis UK and its goal to find a vaccine for Meningitis B - the strain of the disease which hit Jack when he was 11.

Megan, of Broadlands Avenue, said: "We held a similar event last year and it was really fun. Everyone enjoyed themselves and we managed to raise £300 which is great."

Megan also hopes her efforts will help raise awareness as February's the month when cases of meningitis peak.

Jack was diagnosed with the meningococcal septicaemia form of the disease. It occurs when meningococcal bacteria enter the blood stream and multiply uncontrollably, poisoning the blood and completely overwhelming the immune system.

Megan remembered:"It all happened so quickly when Jack fell ill. He said he felt unwell when he went to bed. At 6am the following morning my dad discovered a rash all over his body.

"We rushed him to hospital where they pumped him full of antibiotics but unfortunately they still had to amputate his leg and some fingers because the septicaemia had caused so much damage."

Septicaemia means the blood circulation does not reach the extremities of the body and sometimes the only way to save lives is to amputate limbs.

Jack, who is almost 17, spent three months in hospital and has gone on to be an inspiration to others.

Megan added: "Jack's very positive about everything and the whole family's really proud of him.

"His experiences show just how devastating meningitis can be, which is why we want to raise money towards vaccine research. While it's important that everyone's aware of the symptoms it would be great to eradicate the disease completely."

Meningitis UK's Search 4 a Vaccine Campaign aims to raise £7million to fund vital research into developing a vaccine against Meningitis B - the most common form of meningitis in the UK, which can kill in under four hours.

Steve Dayman, who founded Meningitis UK after his son Spencer died from the disease, said: "Megan's efforts are greatly appreciated and we would like to thank everyone at Rentshield Direct for taking part in the Valentine's Day fundraiser.

"Jack's experiences illustrate the speed at which meningitis can strike, with very few symptoms to distinguish the disease from more common illnesses.

"Every penny raised will go towards our single focus - to find a vaccine to eradicate meningitis and save thousands of lives in the future."

Classic symptoms of meningitis are a headache, stiff neck and a dislike of bright light. Other symptoms can include difficulty supporting own weight, fever, vomiting and diarrhoea and confusion and drowsiness.

Common symptoms of meningococcal septicaemia include aching limbs, cold hands and feet and a rash which starts like pin prick marks and develops rapidly into purple bruising.

Not everyone gets all the symptoms, and they can appear in any order. As the disease can kill within hours, swift treatment is vital as delays could lead to death or survivors being left with disabling after-effects.

Meningitis UK is offering the public free symptoms information packs to help raise awareness at the time of the year when people are most at risk. These include a leaflet with all the facts and frequently asked questions, plus a ‘Check the Symptoms' fridge magnet and handy wallet-sized symptoms cards.

To order your free symptoms information pack or for more information about Meningitis UK, call 0117 373 7373 or visit www.meningitisUK.org.