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.

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 son Séamus was only 8 days old when he showed signs of illness and distress. He was blue-lighted to the hospital where he was put into an induced coma and spent over a week in intensive care at the Royal Victoria Hospital Belfast. We were told there was a high possibility he could die & the next 72hours where critical. He had contracted Strep B meningitis.

Unfortunately suffered two brain bleeds and had these transpired into seizures. At one point, he was on four antibiotics four times daily plus various sedative medications and painkillers. This treatment lasted 28 days. To this day he is still on medication twice daily.

We will not know the severity or how it has affected him until we reach each developmental milestone.

We however are the lucky ones as we have him here today but others are not so fortunate and have experienced unimaginable loss!