Students are being called on to learn the warning signs of meningitis B and get vaccinated
A woman who lost all four limbs after contracting meningitis B is urging young people to get vaccinated against the disease.
Lily McGarry, from Jersey, is currently learning to walk again on prosthetic legs and wants to spare other young people from the same experience.
A one-off vaccination programme for university-bound students, launched after a series of large outbreaks swept across England this year, has now been extended to the island.
Year 13 students and anyone under 25 will be eligible for the vaccines, which require no registration and will be available from July 7.
“I don’t want anyone else to be in my position… The reality is that it’s going to be a difficult life for me,” Lily said. “Any potential cases that can be prevented in the future are something that I strongly believe is very necessary.
“This is a kind of unique opportunity to have this available to you for free, so don’t take it for granted.”
Lily, who was studying medicine at Cardiff University when she contracted meningitis B and went into septic shock, wants others to recognise the disease’s symptoms, which can easily be mistaken for “fresher’s flu” - the colds and bugs that spread through universities early in term.
“I was studying medicine, and I knew about these diseases, but I never thought that I would be the one to get it,” she recalls.
“So I would just encourage people to definitely get the vaccine, but also don’t be complacent if you have had it.
“You still need to be aware of the signs and symptoms of both meningitis and sepsis, especially when leaving home and starting life as a student.”