Stroud-based Meningitis Now charity has launched its 2024 Ribbon Appeal which gives bereaved families an opportunity to remember loved ones this Christmas.
Each year the charity helps people to honour those they have lost with a ribbon inscribed with their family member or friend’s name. These are placed on the charity’s Tree of Remembrance at their Christmas Concert in Gloucester Cathedral on Wednesday, November 27, which everyone is invited to attend.
As part of this year’s Ribbon Appeal, Sue, whose son Alex tragically died from meningitis, shared her story. A talented DJ with his whole future ahead of him, Alex tragically died in 2020 aged just 25 after contracting meningitis.
Sue said: “In January 2020, my healthy 25-year-old son died from meningitis. Alex lived for electronic music – he was a DJ in Leeds, excited about an upcoming tour of the USA that had been booked.
“He had previously had very little interaction with healthcare professionals – when he was at school most of his visits were for sports injuries and accompanied by me. He told us in mid-January that he felt unwell with quite unspecific symptoms – he had been feeling rather sick and as if he had the flu.
“What we didn’t know is that he was also messaging some of his close friends and each of us had a different piece of the jigsaw. Putting these messages together gives a devastating picture of the development of serious illness, where Alex had a debilitating headache and was barely able to get out of bed.
“He was taken to A&E by his flatmate Sam. We arrived in the early afternoon and found him not able to speak but he knew who we were and held my hand.
“We were told that he was to be transferred to another hospital, to a medical ward as he didn’t need neurosurgery.
“Alex was kept alive on a ventilator until Tuesday, and I remained with him throughout. During that time his friends started arriving at the hospital to visit.
“It’s really important to me that we can learn from Alex’s illness and death from this horrible, aggressive infection, and prevent others from suffering in the same way. I’m grateful for the opportunity to work with Meningitis Now towards this aim and any amount you can give will help enormously.”
Thanks to donations to appeals like this, Meningitis Now can continue offering essential services to families like Sue’s who are facing bereavement. The charity is always there to offer an empathetic ear through their nurse-led Helpline or Community Support Officer visits.
Meningitis Now never forgets the life-long impact on families who’ve lost loved ones and remembering the people lost to this terrible disease continues to be a very important aspect of their work.
The charity welcomes everyone to dedicate their own ribbon and attend their concert which takes places at Gloucester Cathedral on Wednesday 27 November. The Gloucester carol concert helps to raise vital funds for Meningitis Now and is an important event in the diaries of many of the families the charity supports.
To dedicate a ribbon or learn more about the Ribbon Appeal please visit our website at www.MeningitisNow.org/ribbon or to get tickets for our Christmas Concert please visit our website at www.MeningitisNow.org/christmas
Symptoms of meningitis can include a severe headache, a dislike of bright lights, neck stiffness, nausea, vomiting and confusion. The disease can affect anyone of any age. Anyone experiencing these symptoms should seek urgent medical attention.
Meningitis Now has a range of free services to support individuals and their families who have been affected by meningitis. For further information about meningitis visit this page and if you have been affected by meningitis, contact the Meningitis Now Helpline on 0808 80 10 388 or email helpline@meningitisnow.org.
