In October 2023, what started as a headache quickly escalated into an experience I will never forget. After a few days of feeling unwell and quickly deteriorating, I was admitted to the Bristol Royal Infirmary via ambulance as I became unable to tolerate light and couldn’t stand without severe pain in my head. Whilst in hospital after numerous tests, I was eventually told I had viral meningitis. Whilst thankfully not bacterial, the after-effects of the infection continue to have an impact on my everyday life.

I first discovered meningitis now in my early recovery after becoming severely frustrated with finding tasks I used to find easy extremely difficult. Their after-effects web pages and social media channels provided a great source of comfort to me. I continue to use the charity’s website and resources not only to aid my own recovery but also to research and spread awareness about the devastating impact meningitis can have on individuals with the infection and their families. After seeing others fundraise for the charity after their personal experiences, I knew I wanted to do the same.

That is why in April 2027 I will be running the London Marathon for Meningitis Now. I am so honoured to have been chosen to join #teamtangerine and cannot wait to start fundraising and raising vital awareness for future meningitis research. Running 26.2 miles is my main fundraising effort, but I hope to complete smaller runs along the way.

If you would like to keep up with my training, you can follow me on Instagram and TikTok @lucyrunslondon27

Thank you so much for your donation, and if you can’t donate, just sharing would mean the world.

I have attached some information about Meningitis Now below

Thanks for reading my story

Lucy 🩷

Meningitis Now

Our vision is a future where no-one in the UK loses their life to meningitis and everyone affected gets the support they need to rebuild their lives.

22 people every day are still affected by this terrible and devastating disease.

They will continue to need our aftercare and support, both now and in the future; and until meningitis is eliminated from the UK, it's vital that we continue to raise awareness and fight back against the disease.

Making a difference, every day reinforces our commitment to saving lives, rebuilding futures and continuing to make a difference in the fight against meningitis over the next five years.

It has three key objectives:

* Fight to defeat meningitis in the UK within a generation;

* Reach out to everyone who needs our help, support and information; and

* Be recognised as a centre of expertise for aftercare and support

The strategy outlines our commitment to investing in lifesaving research, improving awareness of vaccines and influencing policy-makers to improve early diagnosis and treatment of meningitis. It also looks at how we will improve meningitis awareness and focus on promoting our support services more widely, directly supporting those affected by meningitis.