Ross Orderly
TCS London Marathon 2024
Fundraising for Group B Strep Support
Story
What is Group B Strep?
Group B Streptococcus is the UK's most common cause of life-threatening infection in newborn babies and of meningitis in babies under age 3 months.
- About 1 in 4 pregnant women carries GBS bacteria in their body.
- On average in the UK, at least-two babies a day develop a group B Strep infection.
- One baby a week dies from their GBS infection, and-one baby a week survives with long-term disabilities physical, mental or both.
Yet most group B Strep infections are preventable. Group B Strep Support informs families & health professionals about group B Strep to save tiny lives.
My Story
In November 2019, my wife Rachel gave birth to our beautiful daughter Willow. Group B Strep became live in Rachel's pregnancy at 35 weeks, which led to Willow taking sepsis in the womb at 39 weeks. My wife also took sepsis and had to be immediately taken for an emergency section under general anaesthetic. It was a very scary time for us all but thankfully the doctors and nurses were aware that Rachel was a carrier of GBS and were able to treat mum and baby straight away. Thankfully, both Willow and Rachel got through this with no long term damage, but unfortunately there are so many families out there that aren't so lucky.
What needs to change
Most group B Strep infections in babies are preventable.
- We want all expectant mothers in the UK to be informed about group B Strep as a routine part of antenatal care.
- We want all women in the UK to be offered a GBS test as part of a national screening programme.
- In the future, we want a safe and effective vaccine that could be the best route to eliminating group B Strep infections in babies.
