Weekly News Update 16

My story this week comes from the Chronicle Live. It addresses the highly talked about Meningitis and one man’s mission to save other children after another family very sadly lost their daughter to the deadly disease.

Lee Brook, a British Gas worker, launched the petition last September after Hannah, one of his two young daughters, was deemed too old to have the vaccine on the NHS.  At first, the petition attracted around 900 signatures until two-year-old Faye Burdett, from Maidstone, Kent, caught the infection and died on Valentine’s Day after an 11-day battle. A flood of support followed after a harrowing picture of Faye covered in a rash and lying in a hospital bed just before she died was shared by her family. After this photo was shared, the uproar began.

Faye Burdett, who caught the infection and battled for 11 days.

Now the petition has around 700,000 signatures, which has sparked a debate in Parliament.  Lee, also dad to Isabelle, five, said: “I’d taken Hannah along to our local health centre for her inoculations and when I asked about meningitis B, they told me she was too old, even though she was only six months at the time”. He also went on to say “At the time I set this petition up, we had no idea what was going to happen. It was just something I felt strongly about for the sake of my own family.”

Ex- England rugby captain Matt Dawson also added to the awareness of this disease when he told how his 2 year old son Sam battled meningitis C, thankfully little Sam is now well and back home with his family, but Dawson told of how helpless he felt during the time.

A vaccine to protect against meningitis B is available on the NHS for babies aged two months, followed by a second dose at four months and a booster at 12 months.

I think this story is very important because this disease is deadly and awareness needs to be put out there for parents to ensure their children have the vaccines. I do believe that the carnage for everyone to suddenly vaccinate their children is not necessary because Faye and Sam’s case have been publicly broadcasted, however parents now want to take drastic action, which is causing a shortage of the vaccine, and this is causing problems. It is vital that these children have these vaccines, but a process needs to be put in place to accommodate all these children, and to ensure the vaccine levels do not run out.