Parents of tragic Jacob Davey speak out to alert others
27.07.10
THE HEARTBROKEN parents of a King's Lynn youngster who lost his life to meningitis are helping to raise awareness and find a cure for the killer disease.
Gemma Norris and Ben Davey are supporting Meningitis UK in its vaccine research work after their son Jacob died in less than 12 hours.
The youngster was only three when he was struck down by the brain bug in March.
Now, in a bid to save future parents the heartache of losing a child, Gemma and Ben helped to launch an awareness drive at Asda in Wisbeck.
Meningitis UK's giant trailer will be parked outside the store to highlight the symptoms of the disease and the need to act quickly, carrying the hard-hitting warning that meningitis can kill in under four hours.
Free wallet-sized symptoms cards will be available to shoppers throughout the week.
Gemma and Ben have also set up a tribute fund in memory of Jacob, hoping to raise money towards finding a vaccine for Meningitis B - the most common strain of the disease in this country and the one which killed Jacob.
Gemma, 23, knows better than most how devastating meningitis can be as it killed her father.
She said: "I feel that a vaccine is the only way to save people's lives. Meningitis can strike so quickly and often the symptoms are so similar to common illnesses that it's impossible to spot.
"We hope Jacob's story will help save lives. I would urge every parent to make sure they know the full range of symptoms and to trust their instincts and take their child to hospital if they suspect something's wrong."
Gemma recalled how Jacob had been at school the day before he died but came home and wouldn't eat anything.
He seemed very tired so she let him doze on the sofa.
But Gemma became concerned when he started to shake so decided to take him to the doctor.
She said: "They thought he had a virus and advised us to give him Calpol every four hours.
"His temperature was over 40 degrees but at this point there was nothing to suggest he had anything more than a virus.
"Then, in the night, he called out to me and asked if I could take him to the toilet. I had to carry him because he was so weak."
Just several hours later and Gemma could hear Jacob gasping for breath.
She rushed into his bedroom and discovered him staring into space.
As she tried to wake him she pulled back the covers of his bed and was shocked to find a rash all over his body.
They called an ambulance straightaway as the rash spread before their eyes.
Gemma said: "The paramedic said he thought it was meningitis. I knew how dangerous that was as my dad had died from it when I was younger.
"They rushed him to hospital and worked on him for an hour but there was nothing they could do to save him.
"It was so sudden. People don't realise how quickly meningitis strikes. I don't blame the doctors at all - there was nothing to suggest he was seriously ill at that stage.
"This is why finding a vaccine is so important to safeguard lives in the future."
Jacob died from the dangerous meningococcal septicaemia form of the disease, which leads to death in a fifth of cases.
It occurs when meningococcal bacteria enter the blood stream and multiply uncontrollably, poisoning the blood and completely overwhelming the immune system.
Although successful vaccines exist to protect against some forms of meningitis, there is still no vaccine available to protect against all strains, including the most common in the UK - meningococcal group B. This causes both meningitis and septicaemia and accounts for almost 90 per cent of all meningococcal cases.
Steve Dayman, who founded Meningitis UK, lost his son Spencer to the disease in 1982 and has since dedicated his life to raising funds to help develop a vaccine to eradicate the deadly disease.
He will be launching the trailer and said: "What happened to Jacob sadly illustrates the speed at which meningitis can strike, with very few symptoms to distinguish the disease from more common illnesses.
"There are also occasions when people show no or very few symptoms.
"For these reasons we believe that the only way to eradicate the disease completely is through the development of a preventative vaccine and the awareness trailer is a big part of our public education programme."
The trailer will be positioned at Asda until July 30, before continuing its tour around the UK.
The charity is also 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 handy wallet-sized symptoms cards.
To order your free symptoms information pack, or to support the Search 4 a Vaccine Campaign, call 0117 373 7373 or visit www.meningitisUK.org.
To make a donation to the Forever Fund set up in Jacob's memory, visit http://www.meningitisuk.tributefunds.com and search for Jacob Ben Davey.
MeningitisUK · Registered Charity No.1076774
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