I am running the 2024 London Marathon in memory of my sister Kate who died of Meningococcal Septicaemia aged 6 and a half.

Unfortunately, progress against Meningitis has lagged behind many other infectious diseases despite the development of vaccinations for some strains.

-Between 1990 and 2017, child Meningitis deaths fell by just 53% while other vaccine-preventable diseases have seen rates drop by 70-90%.

-Meningitis affects more than 5 million people a year globally

-Meningitis and neonatal sepsis are the second biggest infectious killers of children under the age of 5, higher than the deaths due to Malaria.

-Meningitis leaves 1 in 5 with an impairment caused by the disease and across all age groups it is the world's sixth largest infectious disease killer

-In 2017, nearly 290,000 died from Meningitis.

The charity's main objectives are: to eliminate Meningitis epidemics, reduce cases and deaths from vaccine-preventable Meningitis, reduce disability and maximise quality of life for people affected by Meningitis.

I would be most grateful if you would consider sponsoring me to raise money for this very important cause to aid in the elimination of this dreadful disease