Meningitis charity Meningitis Now is supporting World Meningitis Day tomorrow (Wednesday), which focuses on ‘Life After Meningitis’, and supporter Siân Liddle, from Bingham, is sharing her story to help raise awareness of the disease.

A Bingham woman is backing an international day to highlight the dangers of meningitis and supporting those affected by the disease.

Meningitis charity Meningitis Now is supporting World Meningitis Day tomorrow (April 24), which focuses on ‘Life After Meningitis’, and supporter Siân Liddle is sharing her story to help raise awareness of the disease and the charity's services.

She said: “By telling my story, raising awareness of the signs and symptoms and increasing vaccine knowledge, I can raise the profile of this devastating disease.

“Meningitis can wreck lives, and it’s vital that everybody understands how serious it can be for individuals and families. That’s why I’m supporting World Meningitis Day.”

Siân fell ill with meningococcal meningitis and septicaemia in 1995 when she was two years old. Her symptoms started with excruciating leg pain and a high temperature, and over the next few hours her whole body began to ache and she became sleepy. Initially a viral infection was diagnosed and it was assumed to be just another tummy bug, but when four tiny reddish/purple bruises were spotted, Siân was rushed to Nottingham’s Queen’s Medical Centre.

She explained: “I then went into the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit where I was put into an induced coma and spent two days on a ventilator receiving antibiotics and a blood transfusion. I was attached to so many monitors and tubes that my mum said I was hardly visible. My parents were told later that two more hours delay and I would almost certainly have died.”

Siân’s physical health recovered, but the disease badly affected her mental health, and anxiety and nocturnal panic attacks became a part of her life: “Every conversation about meningitis and its symptoms has the potential to save someone’s life in the future by ringing alarm bells in a parent’s, or any person’s, mind.

“Now, over 20 years later, I’m a young woman in a career I love, finishing off a PhD and feeling extremely blessed.”

There are an estimated 22 cases of meningitis each day across the UK. The disease can strike in hours, but the after-effects, including deafness, limb loss and brain damage, can last a lifetime.

Meningitis Now is using World Meningitis Day to promote its range of support services, including its recently-launched Rebuilding Futures Fund, which provides financial, practical and emotional support for people of all ages affected by meningitis.

Meningitis Now is also launching its first Facebook Donate online fundraiser on World Meningitis Day, and is appealing to the public to make a donation.

If you have been affected by meningitis, or for more information, visit www.meningitisnow.org or contact the Meningitis Now helpline on 0808 80 10 388 or helpline@meningitisnow.org