In 2002, we lost our 12-year-old daughter Emily to bacterial meningitis.

After just four days of flu-like symptoms, our intelligent, thoughtful, vivacious and positive child was suddenly taken from us in a heart-breaking way and our lives changed forever.

Emily had a powerful desire to tackle injustice, particularly for one so young, writing and illustrating a children’s book about bullying when just 11 years old. Determined that no family should have to go through what we have, we have fought the cruel injustice of meningitis in Emily’s name, through the Emily’s Dash Foundation, ever since she passed. Read more about Emily’s story.

This year, 20 years after her death, the Emily’s Dash Foundation is making a major gift to MRF, a valuable grant firmly targeted at defeating meningitis as part of WHO's roadmap. At a critical time in its development, Emily’s Fund will support MRF’s Meningitis Progress Tracker (MPT). We hope this fund will encourage others to join the fight against this killer disease.