What families and patients want us to do
Hear from our Chief Executive, Vinny Smith, about the action families and patients want on meningitis.
The Meningitis Flag is more than a flag – it’s a global call to act now on meningitis.
It was created by meningitis survivors and their families, advocates and health professionals. It represents the collective demand to defeat this deadly disease.
Thanks to the Meningitis Flag, we now have, for the first time, a unifying symbol to raise awareness, inspire action and show support for those affected by meningitis.
What the Meningitis Flag means
Each part of the Meningitis Flag design has meaning:
Protect: the yellow semi-circle represents the patient as the bright, hopeful centre of the movement. It symbolises the importance of every person affected by meningitis.
Support: protecting the individual is a purple triangle, highlighting the many families who play a critical, supportive role. It points upwards like an arrow, symbolising speed and positivity in the race against meningitis.
Defeat: the final layer is a sea of blue, symbolising the steadfastness and persistence of the movement to defeat meningitis.
Protect: the yellow semi-circle represents the patient as the bright, hopeful centre of the movement. It symbolises the importance of every person affected by meningitis.
Support: protecting the individual is a purple triangle, highlighting the many families who play a critical, supportive role. It points upwards like an arrow, symbolising speed and positivity in the race against meningitis.
Defeat: the final layer is a sea of blue, symbolising the steadfastness and persistence of the movement to defeat meningitis.
How the Meningitis Flag was made
The Meningitis Flag was co-created by three para-athletes who survived meningitis (Théo Curin, Ellie Challis and Davide Morana), CoMO members from all regions of the world, our Meningitis Research Foundation team, textile designer, Laura Spring and pharmaceutical company, Sanofi.
Drawing inspiration from their personal experiences and deep connection to meningitis, we worked together to shape the Meningitis Flag.
Watch our video to find out how the story unfolded.
Drawing inspiration from their personal experiences and deep connection to meningitis, we worked together to shape the Meningitis Flag.
Watch our video to find out how the story unfolded.
What the Meningitis Flag can achieve
With the Meningitis Flag as our unifying symbol, we’re aiming to:
- Increase meningitis awareness to help protect people from this devastating and debilitating disease.
- Support people living with the long-term effects of meningitis, their families and caregivers.
- Highlight the movement to defeat meningitis, including progress towards the World Health Organization’s goal to defeat meningitis by 2030.
Free awareness pack
We want everyone to fly the Meningitis Flag, showing their support for the movement to defeat meningitis.
If you’re an individual, school or community group, use any of our free awareness pack now.
If you’re an individual, school or community group, use any of our free awareness pack now.
Created by the community
The Meningitis Flag was co-created in 2023 by:
- Three para-athletes who had survived meningitis.
- Our Confederation of Meningitis Organisation (CoMO) members and Meningitis Research Foundation team.
- Textile designer, Laura Spring.
- Global pharmaceutical company, Sanofi.
Drawing inspiration from everyone’s personal experiences and deep connection to meningitis, this diverse group (from every region of the world) worked together to shape the design of the Meningitis Flag. The result is a simple yet bold representation of the movement to defeat meningitis.
Find out more about our member network, CoMO’s, role in the Meningitis Flag’s creation.
Supported by leading para-athletes
Three world-class para-athletes, Théo Curin, Ellie Challis and Davide Morana, played a vital role in co-creating the Meningitis Flag and in supporting its launch.
Each survived meningitis and have their own story to tell.
“My family was really the most important thing when I got meningitis … thanks to my relatives, my parents, my entourage, I knew how to put negative things aside and think more positively. To get out of this headspace as quickly as possible and dream no matter what.”Théo Curin
“Sport plays a big part in my life. When I was younger, I used to go to a thing called LimbPower Games, where I got to be with other children that lost limbs and try out new sports … and it was the first time I ever saw someone like me swim. And then after that I knew that’s what I wanted to do.”Ellie Challis
“My support first began in the hospital, in the Intensive Care Unit thanks to doctors who were well-prepared. And then I received very important support from the Spanish Association Against Meningitis who immediately contacted me to offer moral support, not only to me, but also to my relatives.”Davide Morana
Using the Meningitis Flag to advocate for change
CoMO is our worldwide network of people and groups driven by a shared purpose to defeat meningitis.
CoMO members played a vital role in co-creating the Meningitis Flag. It represents the views and experiences of people who have been directly affected by meningitis and who advocate for life-saving health improvements in thirteen countries and five continents.
It’s through our members that the Meningitis Flag is being adopted as the universal symbol for the defeating meningitis movement.
Hear from our Chief Executive and CoMO Advisory Council and regional coordinators on what the Meningitis Flag means to them. Find out how it can support their work in countries all over the world.
Saving others from the pain of losing a loved one
Listen to Group B Strep Support Chief Executive and CoMO member, Jane Plumb, on why she supports the demand to defeat meningitis.
The first step to defeating meningitis in Africa
Omorodion Rhoda, from Nigeria’s Care and Development Centre (CADEC) and a CoMO member, talks about what she believes is needed to defeat meningitis in Africa.
Meningitis: a doctor’s perspective
Dr Ravi Kumar, CoMO member from India’s Brain Child Trust, shares his experience of treating patients with meningitis and explains why greater awareness is essential for better health outcomes.
How we’re helping to shape health policy
Elena Moya, CoMO member from Spain’s Asociación Española Contra La Meningitis (AEM) explains how their work has helped shape Spanish health policy on meningitis.
A mother’s fight to protect others from meningitis
Patsy Schanbaum, CoMO member from the USA’s Joint Advocacy for Meningococcal Information and Education (J.A.M.I.E.) Group tells us why she is so driven to advocate for defeating meningitis.
Show your support
You can be part of the growing, global movement demanding meningitis is defeated.
If you’re a community group or individual activist, you can use the free Meningitis Flag awareness pack on this page to raise visibility for defeating meningitis at any time and in any way you want.
Are you a business or commercial organisation who wants to show your support by using the Meningitis Flag? Email us at info@meningitis.org.
Email us If you’re a community group or individual activist, you can use the free Meningitis Flag awareness pack on this page to raise visibility for defeating meningitis at any time and in any way you want.
Are you a business or commercial organisation who wants to show your support by using the Meningitis Flag? Email us at info@meningitis.org.