Thought for the week ✨

#SupportSunday Do you know the range of free support services we offer at ACT for Meningitis? Here’s a little information about one of our services and the impact it is having. Reconnecting after Meningitis This year we ran our first series of Reconnecting after Meningitis workshops. These workshops are run both in Galway and nationally with families who have been affected by Meningitis . The aim of these workshops is to help overcome the trauma which the families have been through. In some families it may be a child or a parent who has experienced meningitis or a family who has been bereaved. In each case the family dynamics have changed and the workshop focuses on rebuilding the attachment and focusing on the positives within the family, to strengthen and empower families through play and fun.

Jessica tragically lost her life to Meningitis aged just 21. This month, to mark what would have been her 30th birthday, her wonderful family and friends have come together to remember Jessica while raising awareness of meningitis and funds for ACT. Read more and support their campaign "Jessica Woz Here" via this link ❤ #RememberingJessica #SupportingACT

MENINGITIS CASES PEAK DURING WINTER MONTHS‼️ Flu or Meningitis….would you know the difference? ACT for Meningitis is issuing a warning as winter time is upon us. There is a higher risk of Meningitis during the winter months. As people spend a lot more time indoors and with close contact, germs are spread more easily. Also, coming down with a 'cold' or the 'flu’ may weaken the immune system making you more susceptible to the disease. Make sure you know the signs and symptoms: While early symptoms which include headache, fever, vomiting, muscle pain, are flu like symptoms someone with Meningitis or septicaemia can get a lot worse very quickly so keep checking them. Further specific symptoms of Meningitis include fever with cold hands and feet, stiff neck, dislike to bright lights, drowsiness, confusion and a rash which doesn't fade under pressure In babies can also include being irritable, refusing to feed, high pitched crying, rapid breathing cold hands and feet and a bulging fontanelle (soft spot on the top of the head). They symptoms may appear in any order or some may not appear at all. Siobhan Carroll CEO of the charity says "The symptoms may be difficult to spot as many of the early symptoms can be similar to those of flu, so we ask people to TRUST THEIR INSTINCTS and if they suspect Meningitis, seek medical help immediately. There is a FREE ACT for Meningitis signs and symptom App available now for download from both Google Play and Apple Store or contact the charity on 091 380058 to order your free awareness cards.

Yvonne Fahy shares her story on contracting Viral Meningitis 4 times: #VocalaboutViral It all started like a typical hangover…. Except I hadn’t been drinking!!! I woke up with the worst flu I’ve ever had, my head feeling like it was being attacked by a kango hammer on all sides with two hot pokers in each eye. I couldn’t even keep water down and was retching all the time, didn’t help when my brother came in talking about food with each word about runny eggs etc. another round with the toilet. By early afternoon time I knew this was something more than an average flu, I was dripping in sweat one minute the next shivering with the cold that no amount of blankets or hot Ribena would get rid of. My mother kept saying she’ll bring me to the doctor but I thought sure I’ll be grand in the morning or at least feeling better….. By early evening I just couldn’t take the pain anymore and volunteered to go to the doctor. At this time in the evening it had to be WestDoc but I didn’t care I just wanted the doctor to remove my head from my body the pain was so bad….. myself and my mom were about 5 mins in WestDoc with the doctor there advising that I get to A&E ASAP as they believed I had Meningitis as the light was bothering me at that time. So off we went to A&E Dept in NUIG Hospital Galway, did the usual check in and sat down on the seat, this is when I started to get worried from myself I just knew I was in trouble. The pain was like nothing I’ve ever experienced in my life and any sound was now driving me nuts, I remember someone using the drinks machine in A&E and the sound of each coin dropping down into the machine was like bombs going off inside my head, my own footsteps were also like bombs to me too and I just couldn’t open my eyes, light was like acid or lasers in my eyes, which isn’t great when every doctor that comes into you in your little cubicle wants to look in your eyes!!! I was eventually put on a trolley and rolled up beside a poster that had the signs and symptoms of Meningitis on it and the only 2 symptoms I didn’t have was the rash and also I was coherent I did know what day of the week it was and who the president was!!! I asked a couple of the doctors who came to me “are you sure I don’t have Meningitis, I have nearly all the symptoms” I was told no it’s definitely not that, just a bad dose and you’re really dehydrated now too, so we’ll keep you in for a few hours and get 2 bags of drip into you and we’ll see how you are. I was released in the early hours of the morning and although I was feeling slightly better due to the pain killers they had given me I still didn’t feel right, but hey who am I certainly not a doctor, just go home and do what the doctor says…… I eventually fell asleep that night and when I woke in the morning I knew something was wrong I called to my mom and told her I needed to go back to hospital. Back we went and was told the same thing it’s probably just a bad virus but we’ll admit you to Merlin Park Hospital and keep an eye on you, this was now Saturday morning and I was sent to Merlin Park where I was told I was being treated for a bad viral infection, it wasn’t until the Head Doctor came around to do his rounds the following Monday that he flipped open his chart and said so nonchalantly “so it’s Meningitis you have but it’s under control now” my mother was there with me and said she’d never seen the colour drain from someone’s face like it did from mine. I said to the doctor “what do you mean I have Meningitis??? I was told I have a viral infection….” To which he replied “who told you that you had a viral infection?? It’s definitely Meningitis and we’ve confirmed that with the Lumbar Puncture results that we ran”. He said that that treatment I’d been given has/was working and that I should be able to go home in a few days. Which I did only to get a second bout of Viral Meningitis a month later…… with two more rounds with it 12 months later. The realisation that I could have died is something that lives with me always and I do cherish life and thank God every day for all the blessings I have in my life. The Viral Meningitis strain that I’ve battled with has left me with side effects which are lessing as the years go by. Initially the aftershock headaches/migraines that I’d get all the time would leave me crippled and unable to do anything, the first year really was very hard, it was hard to even get out of bed, I’d been left with increased sensitivity to sunlight or lights in general, anyone who suffer from any chronic pain will know that pain steals the very life source from you and you’ll ANYTHING to get rid of the pain, which is mostly very strong pain killers who steal the remaining life force from you, it’s a very vicious cycle. I was under the care of the Neurology Dept in NUIG and DR Hennessy did manage to get me on a schedule of medication that did eventually lead to more relief for me. It’s been a few years now since my last battle with Meningitis and the side effects are much less frequent but still do floor me when I get a bad one, it usually creeps in when I have a cold or just basically run down and can have me out of action for at least a week sometimes more. I now take Healthfoods supplements every day and totally believe that they have 100% contributed to how good my health now is, it’s not perfect but it’s 80% back to where I used to be, if it were not for Revive Active Health Food supplement along with their Krill Oil I honestly don’t know what kind of shape I’d be in now, it keeps the colds and flu’s at bay so my immune system doesn’t get as weak as it once used to which stops the headaches/migraines from taking a hold of me. My heart goes out to anyone who’s dealt with this disease or who is currently experiencing side effect due to Meningitis. This disease affects the whole family and those of us that are lucky enough to survive are sometimes left with life changing side effects. To those that have lost family to this disease I am personally very sorry for your loss and pray that the government starts to listen and give the funding needed to roll out the vaccine, to know that there is an injection out there that could have saved so many lives in the past and CAN SAVE numerous lives going forward is heart breaking, lives are being lost all the time and our government have the power to stop that. Know the signs and symptoms and NEVER EVER wait for the rash, it’s better to be an over anxious fool than a dead fool.

The impact of Meningitis can be devastating .. Whatever your experience we are here.. Maybe you just want to talk,or meet up with some one who understands what you are going through no matter what length of time it has been since Meningitis affected your life... ACT for Meningitis is here Some of our free support services include COUNSELLING SERVICE...for families or individuals who have been affected by Meningitis ONE TO ONE SERVICE...Contact with someone who has had a similar experience to yourself can provide valuable support. FREE FAMILY SUPPORT DAYS...bringing families together to share their experiences of Meningitis .Parents can get to meet each other while their children can play together. CREATIVE THERAPIES...including play and art therapy which helps children deal with the impact of the disease.. HOME VISITS...A visit from of our Community Support officer in the comfort of your home can give you and your family an opportunity to talk about meningitis Just call 091 380058 or email Emer on actformeningitis@gmail.com NO ONE SHOULD FACE THE JOURNEY ALONE....

Happy halloween from all at ACT for Meningitis! A spooktacular halloween display as always by our friends Clive & Ciara in Silverbrook Co Limerick. Thank you for choosing to support ACT while scaring your neighbourhood this weekend! #halloweenfundraising 😱🎃💙

Thought for the week: ✨

Check out our Bearlyabletowalk Bear aka the amazing ACT amabassador Aodhagan Fitzsimons, who once again has taken on the Dublin Marathon dressed as a bear (yes 26 miles in a bear costume!) to raise awareness of Meningitis and funds for ACT! You are truly inspirational Aodhagan, thank you for everything you do! #everydayhero 💙

What is meningitis? Meningitis is a serious disease in which there is an inflammation of the lining around the spinal cord and the brain, caused by viral or bacterial infection. Meningitis is usually viral or bacterial . Viral meningitis is a serious illness but doesn’t usually end in fatality and most people make a full recovery. Bacterial however, has a higher incidence of fatality and has many strains caused by many different bacteria. Septicaemia is an infection of the blood with bacteria,(Blood poisoning). The ‘Tumbler test’ is associated with with meningitis whereby if a tumbler glass is pressed against a septicaemic rash it will not fade. Meningitis can kill within hours and can affect anyone of any age. Ireland has the highest incident of meningitis B per capita in the whole of Europe and there are currently no vaccinations against all the different strains of the disease. So knowing the signs and symptoms is vital. If you want to know anything about meningitis, we are happy to answer any of your questions. 091-380058 or actformeningitis@gmail.com

Wishing the very best to every single hero taking part in the Dublin Marathon today to raise awareness and funds for so many deserving causes. A special Thank You to the wonderful Kenneth Carroll who is running today to remember his friend, whom he lost to meningitis, and to raise vital funds for ACT. #kensACTformeningitis #beinspired #helpbuildaoibheshouse 💙

What a terrifyingly scary run organised by The Village Salthill this afternoon for ACT for Meningitis !!!