In March 2012 Tommy Brown contracted the B strain of meningococcal meningitis and septicaemia. The disease was so ferocious and widespread that he was given only a 5 per cent chance of survival. He defied the odds, but was left with multiple amputation.
5 per cent chance of survival.

At 5am, Tommy woke up burning hot and very croaky, so I sponged him down like I was told to. By 8am, Tommy was awake again and a purple blotchy rash had started to appear on his body. I took him straight to my GP, crying my eyes out, and when the doctor opened the door he took one look at Tommy and told me to phone an ambulance straight away.

Touch and Go
The doctor took Tommy from me and into a room. I collapsed. When I finally went in to him the doctor told me that my beautiful baby boy had meningitis and was in a bad way.

Tommy was rushed to the A&E at Walsall Manor Infirmary where they worked for several hours to stabilise him and my boy technically died and had to be revived. He was then transferred to Leicester Royal Infirmary but after getting there we were told that he needed to be moved again because his kidneys had shut down. Tommy was three times his normal size, and he had turned black.

We were moved to Glenfield Hospital where Tommy was put onto dialysis and was given 13 different drugs. He was sedated all along, and we were told that he was going to lose all four of his limbs and that he only had a 5 per cent chance of survival.

Tommy was christened and underwent a fasciotomy [a surgical procedure to relieve pressure to the limbs]. He remained in Glenfield Hospital’s P.I.C.U (Paediatric Intensive Care Unit) until Mother’s Day when he was transferred to Birmingham City University P.I.C.U.

Read more of Tommy's story by clicking on the link below:

https://www.meningitisnow.org/support-us/news-centre/meningitis-stories/tommys-story/