Those of you who know me know that I am very vain, especially when it comes to my hair! Although it’s just hair, I take great pride in it and my appearance. So I have decided that on Sunday 29th July 2018 I will be shaving my long locks off for the Meningitis Research Foundation. 

The reason behind this is on the 12th January 2004 at just 41 years old, my Dad, Frank Christopher Ciraolo, lost his life to a very short battle with Septicemia.

I am also quite a private person when it comes to my story. Even though it’s very hard for me to do, I want to open up to you all and share my story.

To this day(14 years later) we still don’t know the real cause of the septic infection he contracted. I was just age 7 when he suddenly passed and my sister just just 4 months old. It was 10th January 2004. My Mum, Dad and myself were all sat at the dinner table having dinner. My dad complained with a severe headache (which was very rare for him) and decided to go to bed early. Later that night when we all went to bed, my dad was in bed violently shaking, wrapped up in a duvet, with a rash on his feet and chest. This was one of the early stages of the infection beginning to take over his body. I still believe to this day that he knew something was wrong with him. He got out of bed and went over to my sisters room. He lent over her cot and kissed her good night and said “sleep well Louisa, I love you very much” he then turned to me and I distinctly remember him saying the words, “I love you and look after your sister for me” and then kissed me. This was the last time I ever saw him and still the strongest memory I have of him. At that point I was so young I had no idea what was going on, I just thought he was a little unwell.

In the early hours of the next morning (11th January around 3am) I woke up as I heard my mum downstairs, I came down and my mum was on the phone. She then came over to me at the bottom of the stairs and calmly told me, that Dad had taken to hospital in an ambulance as he was very ill.

My mum along with my auntie, Nonna & Nonno and uncles spent the next following days of the weekend back and forth to the hospital. I barely remember seeing my mum whilst Dad was at hospital. The infection had already taken hold of his body, he was hooked up to all sorts of machines inside intensive care inside the hospital, which had been cleared for him. But just 2 days later from first going to hospital, on the 12th January 2004, he lost his life. The infection had beaten him. By the time he arrived at hospital it was already too late, but the inredible doctors and nurses did everything they could to try and keep him alive. He went from being a freestanding, fit, healthy man to being hooked to life support inside intensive care in just 2 days. 

 He was an incredibly strong man, both mentally and physically.  But also very spiritual, which I believe helped him fight even harder. He is missed everyday but he is used as motivation to better myself in every way possible. 

My story is not the only one of its kind I’m sure. But, if I can do anything to help raise money for the research needed to help fight and understand this illness more, then I will. Even if it’s as simple as shaving my hair off. 

My aim is to raise £1,000, spread awareness about this infection and the great work that Meningitis Research Foundation does. Any donation is greatly appreciated and means a huge amount to me personally.

Thank you for taking the time to visit my page, read my story, and also understand my motive behind doing this!

For further information regarding Septicaemia visit:

https://www.meningitis.org/

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