Gemma was our beautiful 24 year old daughter who died on the 4th of August 2018 of meningitis W.
Gemma had lots of plans, she enjoyed life, worked hard and achieved lots in her 24 years. This all changed in a blink of an eye and she was gone.
Gemma started getting sick on the 3rd of August complaining of a sick tummy, she collapsed in her flat at around 12 midnight and during the next few hours Gemma condition deteriorated. She developed the sepsis rash, had a high temperature, had neck pain and headache.
Gemma died of meningitis W at 10.24pm on Saturday evening the 4th of August and three days after she died she was diagnosed with meningitis.
The vaccine that could have prevented Gemma's death is part of the national vaccine programme in Northern Ireland and in the UK, but here in the Republic of Ireland we are NOT told that the vaccine exists. The Vaccine is called ACWY and for €50 our daughter would be with us today. Awareness of this vaccine in the Republic of Ireland by our health officials to prevent further deaths is a must.
Before Gemma’s death and since then more people have died of this type of meningitis that is vaccine preventable.
World Meningitis Day is in the month of April and it is also Gemma's 25th birthday, please prevent any more death from meningitis.
Rosaleen McGee
April 2019
PS - Since ths Book of Experience was written, vaccination against MenW has been introuduced in Ireland - Find out more