Thank you Voices of Meningitis for inviting Momfluential to your event. All opinions are my own.
On May 13th I had the privilege to meet Robbin Thibodeaux-Holland, a mother who unexpectedly lost her son to Meningitis. I also spoke to Dara Torres twelve time Olympic medalists. Together along with Voices of Meningitis they campaign to increase awareness of this scary yet preventable disease.
Dara swam 24 laps alongside local teen swim teams, at Verdugo Swim Pool in Burbank to symbolize the 24 hours in which this disease can potentially, suddenly, take someone’s life.
Robbin’s son, Thomas James Kent was a nineteen year old high school graduate. He loved to surf and had big dreams to attend college. He wanted to be a surf coach and travel to Costa Rica. Robbin explained how his death was sudden and completely unforeseen.
Thomas began with flu like symptoms, fever, vomiting, headache, and lastly he broke out in purple rash. Very quickly, within a couple of days, Thomas passed away.
Robbin retraced his last steps over and over and tried to figure how he had contracted the virus. She had so many unanswered questions. She once asked her son why he loved the ocean so much? Thomas replied, “Water is where I find my peace.”
She now spends a lot of time by the ocean, and finally understands Thomas’s love.
“ As a mother of three children, I decided to get involved and help increase awareness,” Dara Torres told me.
Meningococcal meningitis, although rare, can be deadly. In fact, it can potentially kill an otherwise healthy teen in less than 24 hours. And what’s equally as shocking, a national survey found that two out of three moms across the country are unaware of this disease and the steps needed to help protect their teens.
I was completely surprised to learn that the Meningitis vaccine is considered “optional”. Because the disease is rare, the CDC has not made it a required vaccine.
Both Robbin and Dara advise moms to check your children’s vaccination records and check to see if it has been administered. You should know that it is covered by most insurance policies.
About Meningococcal Disease
Meningococcal disease is a serious bacterial infection that includes meningitis, swelling of the tissues around the brain and spinal cord; bacteremia, a severe blood infection; and pneumonia. The bacteria that cause meningococcal disease are spread through respiratory droplets and direct contact with respiratory secretions. As such, common everyday activities can play a role in disease spread, including kissing; sharing utensils and water bottles; and being in close quarters, such as living in a dormitory or staying at a sleep-away summer camp. Fatigue may also put people at greater risk of meningococcal disease, possibly by weakening the immune system.
Signs and Symptoms
This disease can be difficult to diagnose, especially in its early stages, because symptoms are similar to those of common viral illnesses, such as the flu. However, meningococcal disease is very serious. Although rare, meningococcal disease develops rapidly and can claim the life of an otherwise healthy individual in as little as one day after the first symptoms appear. Data show that 10 to 15 percent of the 800 to 1,200 Americans who get meningococcal disease each year will pass away from the disease. Of those who survive, nearly one in five are left with serious medical problems, including:
– Amputation of arms, legs, fingers, or toes
– Neurologic damage
– Deafness
– Kidney damage
Protection and Prevention
To help protect against meningococcal disease, the CDC recommends routine vaccination of adolescents aged 11 through 18 years (a single dose of vaccine should be administered at age 11 or 12 years, with a booster dose at age 16 years for children who receive the first dose before age 16 years)
Thomas James Kent June 19,1986 – December 24, 2005
For more information, visit www.VoicesofMeningitis.org
Angela Saldaña Camacho
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