David Nolan's story

My younger brother was eight years old when he first contracted bacterial meningitis. He was in hospital for two weeks and then sent home with a clean bill of health.

In June 2000 aged 16 he complained of feeling unwell and was seen by our GP, who diagnosed flu as he had flu-like symptoms.

Two days later he was vomiting bile from his stomach so my mam rang the GP and he saw him straight away. He had my brother on a drip in a matter of seconds and an ambulance was on its way. He was admitted to hospital where they had to sedate him as there was too much pressure on his brain

The professor did tests and it showed that there was no brain activity there. My parents, younger sister and I made the heartbreaking decision to turn off his life support on 30th June 2000. The professor contacted us a few days later to tell us that my brother had a rare problem with his genes, that he had no immune system to fight off the bacteria and that it was a miracle that he had survived it when he was eight years old. Our nan had died two months before he contracted meningitis the first time so we think she was watching over him.

We could not fault the doctors or nurses in their support and help with doing everything that they possibly could for my brother ,and it is the dedication of the MRF team and donors that keep the fight alive and hopefully they can find a cure or prevention for this horrible thing.

In loving memory of David Gerard Nolan 23/04/84-30/06/00

Always thinking about you.
xxxxx

FRAN NOLAN
SEPTEMBER 2010