VIDEO LIBRARY

Use these videos to better understand the impact meningococcal disease can have on your patients—and what you can do to help.

Kim “I Survived”

Kim recounts her daughter’s terrifying experience with meningitis.

  • Video transcript

    On-Screen Text:

     

    Kim is a meningococcal disease Advocate. She is not a healthcare provider. This is her story in her own words. Kim was compensated by GSK for her participation in this program. This is one person’s experience. Other people’s experiences with meningococcal disease may be different. Vaccination may not protect all recipients.

     

    Kim:

     

    I’d say a few days before Spring Break, Lindsey called and wasn’t feeling real well. They diagnosed her with a virus, and we decided that she would come home and enjoy some good quality family time with Alan (her dad) and I and her older sister, Jordan. So, Alan and I were working in the yard and Lindsey had been laying down for a bit, and I thought, “You know, I should probably go check on her.” She was sleeping, and when I reached down to touch her skin, she was extremely warm. So, I reached down, and I put the thermometer under her arm, and—and it read 104. We immediately rushed her to the ER. I remember meningitis being mentioned multiple times. We just knew that she felt awful—awful. I remember pulling meningitis up on the internet, and I’ll never forget reading the description—that she could have organ damage. Pictures that showed this horrible petechiae rash with people missing limbs. And then reading that it could potentially take my daughter’s life. That’s scary. Eventually, Lindsey’s physician came in and confirmed that Lindsey had a diagnosis of meningococcal septicemia, serogroup B. Lindsey was in the hospital for 14 days, and it was probably the longest 14 days of my life, and we were so incredibly blessed that she recovered. If I would have known that there was a way to help prevent what happened to Lindsey, I would have taken it in a heartbeat. I want healthcare professionals to give moms and dads the information that we need to help protect our children.

     

    On-Screen Text:

     

    Adolescents/young adults need vaccines to help protect against the 5 vaccine-preventable serogroups for meningitis—Men A, B, C, W, & Y. Vaccination may not protect all recipients.

     

    Kim:

     

    Please educate us about the types of vaccines needed to help protect against the five most common types of meningitis. So many people who experience meningitis, their children don’t make it. They don’t get that second chance.

     

    On-Screen Text:

     

    GSK LOGO

     

    Trademarks are owned by or licensed to the GSK group of companies.

     

    ©2023 GSK or licensor.

     

    BEXVID230048 November 2023

     

    Produced in USA.

Missy & Sarah “I Survived”

Sarah and her mother describe the lasting toll meningitis has taken on their family.

  • Video transcript

    On-Screen Text:

     

    Sarah and Missy are meningococcal disease Advocates. They are not healthcare providers. This is their story in their own words.

     

    Sarah and Missy were compensated by GSK for their participation in this program. This is the shared experience of two people. Other people’s experiences with meningococcal disease may be different.

     

    Vaccination may not protect all recipients.

     

    SARAH:

     

    I saw a rash spreading from the tips of my ankles to my thighs, and the nurse took my temperature, and it was 105.8.

     

    MISSY:

     

    I couldn’t process what was happening. Something had gone just completely off the rails; it was happening so suddenly.

     

    SARAH:

     

    I was certain that I was dying.

     

    On-Screen Text:

     

    SARAH SURVIVOR

     

    MISSY MOM & ADVOCATE

     

    SARAH:

     

    When I was a kid, I was very physically active with gymnastics, a competitive gymnast up until I was 16 years old, then was in college studying. I wanted to be a journalist and be a news anchor doing something with a communications degree, and it didn’t happen.

     

    One day, I woke up with the impression that I had a cold of some sorts, but within a few hours, it turned out to be much more than a cold.

     

    I was texting with my friend, and my exact text message to her said, “I feel as though something is attacking my mind and body,” and that’s when she contacted my mom, and my mom took me to the emergency room.

     

    MISSY:

     

    I’ll never forget the day that Sarah got sick because from that day everything changed. When I went to see Sarah in the examining room, she was not speaking clearly. Her words were becoming garbled. She had some vomit on her gown.

     

    SARAH:

     

    I was so scared of what was happening to me. I saw a rash spreading from the tips of my ankles to my thighs, and the nurse took my temperature, and it was 105.8.

     

    MISSY:

     

    I couldn’t process what was happening. Something had gone just completely off the rails. It was happening so suddenly, and when the doctor said, “You have to leave the room. We need to intubate her,” terror…I felt terror.

     

    SARAH:

     

    I asked my dad if I was dying. It was really scary because I was certain that I was dying, completely certain. They put me in a medically induced coma for five days, and during that time I was given IV antibiotics.

     

    MISSY:

     

    The doctors told us they didn’t know what to expect. They were suspecting meningitis, and I kept saying, “There’s no way. I know she was vaccinated. She does not have meningitis. It’s something else.”

     

    On-Screen Text:

     

    Sarah’s illness occurred in 2014, the same year meningitis B vaccination first became available.

     

    MISSY:

     

    The neurologist came in to do a spinal tap. They had to confirm her diagnosis, and they told us that Sarah definitely had meningitis B. She also had myelitis, encephalitis and septicemia. We immediately said, “What does this mean?” And they said, “There’s a lot of things it can mean. Sarah can have brain damage. She could lose limbs, she could lose her hearing, or she could die, and there’s no way we can tell you what’s going to happen now.”

     

    The sensation I felt, my legs literally gave way under me, and I had to grasp onto my husband. It’s like the worst nightmare scene you can imagine.

     

    While Sarah was in her medically induced coma, I was watching like a hawk for any sign of what the doctors told us could happen. We were just holding her hands and hoping for some sign that she was still in there.

     

    SARAH:

     

    When I woke up from my coma, I could barely hear anything, and everything I saw was doubled and tilted, and at that point I could not move my legs. I spent two weeks in the ICU.

     

    I was taught how to take my first steps. I was taught how to swallow again, and that was only the beginning of my recovery. I had no idea what was going on and how it would impact my life in the future. I had no idea.

     

    MISSY:

     

    They said that 100% of her hearing was gone from her left ear and 20% from her right. And I just remember being relieved that that’s all, so far, that we had that wasn’t working, and it was just shocking to me that I could be grateful for hearing loss. After two weeks, she reached the point that she could slowly move with the walker, and that’s when she was discharged to a rehab hospital. (Background chatter)

     

    SARAH:

     

    I did vision therapy, bladder therapy and cognitive therapy along with physical, occupational and speech therapy. Every session felt like it lasted forever. I was tired all the time. My mom and dad let me move back in. They took care of me.

     

    My mom drove me to therapy for months, supported me financially. They, I mean, they went and have gone above and beyond.

     

    MISSY:

     

    We had to remove all of our throw rugs. We had to put one of the detachable nozzles in her shower. We had to put a commode in her room because she wasn’t able to get up and get to the toilet fast enough. We had to buy adult diapers ’cause she wasn’t able to control her bladder and sometimes her bowels.

     

    SARAH:

     

    It took me about a year to realize the severity of what meningitis did to me and that all, a lot of the consequences from it were completely permanent.

     

    Cognitive therapy was very difficult for me. It was very emotional, too, and very difficult to learn how to do things that I had been doing my entire life again, and I knew in the back of my brain that I could concentrate better. I knew that I could speak, I knew that I could do these things, but I couldn’t access that, and it was very frustrating for me. I was unbelievably uncomfortable talking to people and embarrassed. I felt very, very anxious. It was as though my identity went out the window.

     

    Also, to be 22, 23 and see all my friends off at college and graduating and going into careers that they chose when I was completely powerless in my situation, it was very, very, very hard.

     

    MISSY:

     

    All these years later, Sarah is still dealing with meningitis on a daily basis. We haven’t been through the physical problems like Sarah has but we have I say it’s kind of like a PTSD. If the phone rings at an odd time, I immediately think it’s Sarah. I think something’s happened. My son is the same way. If I call him and start with a sentence “Sarah,” he’s like, “What happened, Mom?” So, we’re, we’re on edge, and we haven’t lost the fear of that phone ringing or something happening with Sarah.

     

    SARAH:

     

    When I look back on this journey, I feel really bad for myself. It was unbelievably difficult, and it breaks my heart, you know, even now thinking about myself just having problems with hearing every single day. It’s, it’s very sad.

     

    I’ve made peace with what’s happened to me through creative work: painting, writing poetry, physical activity, yoga. It’s finding outlets to express it and accepting it. I am very passionate about educating others on meningitis because it’s, it is such a difficult life having these consequences.

     

    MISSY:

     

    Meningococcal disease is a terrible thing. It can change the lives of the patient and the patient’s family. I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.

     

    On-Screen Text:

     

    Adolescents/young adults need vaccines to help protect against the 5 vaccine-preventable serogroups for meningitis—Men A, B, C, W, & Y. Vaccination may not protect all recipients.

     

    MISSY:

     

    I was surprised to find out the vaccine she had before did not cover meningitis B. I feel like I should have been more informed. Nobody told me about meningitis B and the dangers associated with it. I know it’s a rare disease, and it may not happen, but it happens. It happened to us. I want to say to the health professionals out there educate your patients! Talk to your patients about meningitis B.

     

    SARAH:

     

    I will do absolutely any and everything I can to educate people about meningitis and what they can do to help prevent it. Please help educate your patients about meningitis. Don’t leave it up to chance.

     

    On-Screen Text:

     

    GSK Logo

     

    Trademarks are owned by or licensed to the GSK group of companies.

     

    ©2023 GSK or licensor.

     

    BEXVID230052 November 2023

     

    Produced in USA.

Ashley “I Survived”

Ashley shares how meningitis drastically changed the course of her life as a young high school student.

  • Video transcript

    On-screen Text:

     

    Ashley is a meningococcal disease Advocate. She is not a healthcare provider. This is her story in her own words.

     

    Ashley was compensated by GSK for her participation in this program. This is one person’s experience. Other people’s experiences with meningococcal disease may be different.

     

    Vaccination may not protect all recipients.

     

    Ashley:

     

    When I was a kid, I loved music and dance. I did jazz, ballet, and tap.

     

    What I loved about dance was I could kind of get into my own world. I could really feel the music.

     

    Every year, we would have a recital, and it was basically like the opportunity to get, you know, your hair done, makeup, the lights, being center stage, getting flowers. It was just a thrill to get up in front of hundreds of people and show off!

     

    At one point, I did consider dance as a possible career. But things changed dramatically for me.

     

    On-screen Text:

     

    ASHLEY SURVIVOR

     

    Ashley:

     

    I was 16 years old. It was actually the summer before my junior year.

     

    I woke up, didn’t feel the greatest, kind of had a headache and just kind of rested at the house that day, and then throughout the evening, it just kind of got worse. I felt nauseous, threw up a little, head was hurting, and then about 2 o’clock in the morning I woke up, and I had two small bruises on my right side.

     

    I sleep a few hours. My alarm goes off at six. I wake up, and this time those two bruises are now like hundreds of little bruises all over my body–my legs, my chest, my face, my arms–and then eventually it was to the point where I couldn’t even walk.

     

    I was really scared. I just knew that something wasn’t right.

     

    My mom put me right in the car and took me straight to the emergency room.

     

    I wasn’t able to easily move. My fingers were swelling. I was in extreme pain.

     

    Once they did the spinal tap, at that point, I don’t remember anything after that.

     

    They needed to put me into a medically induced coma, which I was in for a week.

     

    When I woke up, my hands were black, my fingers were black, my toes were– were dark. There was a lot of damage.

     

    The doctors came in. They told me that I had meningococcal meningitis with septicemia, explained, you know, what had happened, you know, that I would have to have surgeries, that there was, you know, a long road ahead of me.

     

    I asked the doctors and nurses all types of questions and realized ultimately in the end that I was lucky to be alive, that many people die from meningococcal meningitis, and I was actually one of the lucky ones.

     

    They did 20 to 25 surgeries just on my hands. All my fingers were taken to that last knuckle, if not a little bit further.

     

    Emotionally, it was–it was hard. I cried. Pretty sure the doctor didn’t know how to take that. I think dealing with a young patient, even he was kind of taken back by the emotion of it all.

     

    During the time with my fingers, I knew I’d probably have to have some toes amputated, but then the decision was made that I needed to get my left leg amputated up to my ankle.

     

    At first, I didn’t want to do it. My mother stepped in and was like, “You can’t deny the surgery. You have to get it. You will die if you don’t get the surgery.”

     

    I think the leg was more emotionally difficult for me because I felt like that was taking away my independence, like I felt like losing my fingers was ok. I would figure things out. It may not be easy, but at least I can be upright. I can walk, but once I lost my leg, like what does that look like?

     

    Losing my leg meant to me that I wouldn’t be able to dance again.

     

    It was emotions that I never thought I would experience, never had a history with. You know, as a teenager, you’re invincible. You don’t think anything bad can happen to you, so like, the worst thing is like your boyfriend breaks up with you or somebody talks bad about you at school, and now here I am facing all these big emotions and how do you deal with that?

     

    It was one of the most painful of the amputations. I would have what they call phantom pain, and that lasted a few months.

     

    One of the things that I did was make sure there was always a pillow in the bed where my leg was. You know, when I had a blanket over–over me, the pillow had to be there. It had to be folded and kind of look like a leg. It had to be shaped that way, and I did that throughout the entirety of my hospital stay.

     

    Getting sick at 16 is completely different than what most 16-year-olds are dealing with.

     

    I had to re-learn how to walk. I had to relearn how to feed myself, re-learn how to brush my hair, just things that you don’t think you’ll have to learn to do again once you’ve learned them.

     

    After high school, I went on to college. Took a little longer than anticipated, but went on, got a bachelor’s degree in computer science, and then took that a step further to get an MBA.

     

    I got married, had a daughter, Bailey.

     

    Motherhood was definitely different. I didn’t know how I was going to change a diaper. I really didn’t until she was born, and then I figured it out along with everything else when she was a baby, how to get her in and out of a car seat. I figured it out just like I’d figured out everything before that.

     

    Going through life, there’s always going to be a challenge. I’m always going to run into something I haven’t done before, and how do I do that? I don’t know going in a lot of times if I can do it, but if I don’t try, then I’ll never know, so I’m always, you know, up for the challenge to figure out a way to do something.

     

    There’s times when I look back and it’s sad to think everything that I went through, everything that changed, how I changed as a person and where I am now today versus where I would have been had it not happened, but ultimately, in the end, I wouldn’t change anything, because I feel like because of what I went through, I am who I am today.

     

    I have a new–a new dance. It may not be on a stage or in a dance class, but I still dance through life, and I’m now comfortable with that.

     

    One of the reasons I’m passionate about meningitis awareness is because many people don’t know about it. They don’t know what it can do to your body.

     

    My hope is that no one else has to experience this awful disease.

     

    Vaccines are available to help prevent meningitis, and parents need to be aware of the risks of the disease and what their options are.

     

    On-screen Text:

     

    Adolescents/young adults need vaccines to help protect against the 5 vaccine-preventable serogroups for meningitis—Men A, B, C, W, & Y. Vaccination may not protect all recipients.

     

    Ashley:

     

    As Bailey’s mom, I want to do everything in my power to help prevent her from going through what I did.

     

    Please help educate your patients about meningitis. Don’t leave it up to chance.

     

    On-Screen Text:

     

    GSK logo

     

    Trademarks are owned by or licensed to the GSK group of companies.

     

    ©2023 GSK or licensor.

     

    BEXVID230054 November 2023

     

    Produced in USA.

Nate “I Survived”

Nate reflects on his tragic encounter with meningitis—and his drive to persevere despite it.

  • Video transcript

    On-Screen Text:

     

    Nate is a patient advocate and a survivor of meningococcal disease. He is not a healthcare provider. This is his story, in his own words. Nate was compensated by GSK for his participation. This is one person’s experience; other people’s experiences with meningococcal disease may be different. Vaccination may not protect all recipients.

     

    Nate:

     

    In the spring of 2005, I had meningococcal septicemia with complications from disseminated intervascular coagulation. They did their best to keep me from seeing what my legs looked like. I could see my fingers, that they had turned black and crispy. It took two days for the doctors to do all the amputations that were required. They removed my left leg below the knee, the toes on my right foot, and the fingers on both hands. The doctor told me I would never walk again. It was like my life had changed in an instant. I was going to have a life of remembering the things that I used to be able to do and having a hard time not being able to do them. After they told me I would never walk again, it was an answer I would not accept. I decided that I would make it happen no matter what. I went through several different prosthetics to try and find prosthetics that actually worked. And, after four years of struggle, and four years of pain, I finally was able to walk full-time. I’m working now to hike the Pacific Crest Trail. That’s my goal. It’s 2,650 miles from the Mexican border to the Canadian border through California, Oregon, and Washington. Being able to set foot on that trail and just even attempt it is special, something that I wasn’t supposed to ever be able to do. Although meningitis is uncommon, people who contract it don’t always live to tell their story. My hope is that physicians will educate themselves on the importance of vaccination for meningococcal disease and that people will talk to their doctors about it. We think it can’t happen to us, but it can happen. You can take steps to help protect your patients from getting it.

     

    On-Screen Text:

     

    Adolescents/young adults need vaccines to help protect against the 5 vaccine-preventable serogroups for meningitis—Men A, B, C, W, & Y. Vaccination may not protect all recipients.

     

    GSK Logo

     

    Trademarks are owned by or licensed to the GSK group of companies.

     

    ©2023 GSK or licensor.

     

    BEXVID230047 November 2023

     

    Produced in USA.

     

Meet Ryan

Ryan’s meningitis story began on Halloween night in 1998, and it still haunts him to this day.

  • Video transcript

    On-screen Text:

     

    Ryan is a meningococcal disease Advocate. He is not a healthcare provider. This is his story in his own words.

     

    Ryan was compensated by GSK for his participation in this program. This is one person’s experience. Other people’s experiences with meningococcal disease may be different.

     

    Vaccination may not protect all recipients.

     

    RYAN:

     

    I was 21 years old when I contracted meningococcal disease.

     

    The first thing that happened was I had a horrific headache. Then I noticed some purple blotches on my arm, a little bit of neck pain, and the most excruciating part that I remember is just how much pain I felt in my limbs. My feet hurt so bad. I just remember screaming over and over to the doctors, “Cut my feet off! Just cut them off!” That’s how bad they hurt.

     

    It’s hard to put into words, but it felt like death was a presence in the room. I felt like it was standing beside me, knocking on the door, right there. The doctors told my family that there was about an 85% chance I would not make it.

     

    I spent a week in a coma. When I woke up, my life was never going to be the same.

     

    The first thing I saw was my feet, and they were purple and swelled up, and within a couple of days they started to turn black. My feet were dying.

     

    The last procedure, I had all 10 toes and the ends of both feet amputated. I went from a size 12 foot down to a size 4 foot on both feet.

     

    The surgeries themselves hurt, and every day since then has hurt. I have chronic pain, and it affects me not just every day, every hour of every day. There’s not a single 30- or 60-minute stretch of my life where I’m not thinking about my feet.

     

    This changed me forever.

     

    It broke me. It broke my soul.

     

    It’s been more than 20 years since I got sick.

     

    And I have a great family, great job, three amazing kids, amazing wife. I am incredibly happy. I feel grateful every day that I made it, but I never forget meningococcal disease–what it did to me.

     

    Today, I’m a great advocate for meningococcal disease awareness and prevention.

     

    I’ve had the privilege of speaking to thousands of doctors and medical providers in all corners of this country, and it’s all about one thing: Spread the word, carry the message, teach people about this, what it can do.

     

    Background audio, Ryan speaking from podium:

     

    I appreciate the opportunity to come out, tell my story. It’s very–very important to me…

     

    RYAN:

     

    When I speak to people, my goal is to wake them up. You know, this is a real thing. It’s a devastating, heartbreaking disease that can kill you. I pull no punches. I tell them what it did to me, how it felt. I talk about the physical pain. I also talk about the emotional and spiritual pain and working through all of that.

     

    Background audio, Ryan speaking from podium:

     

    The reality of this disease, it was crushing, absolutely crushing. I was in incredible pain. I had to drop out of college. I was in a wheelchair for six months, had to completely re-learn how to walk. There was just black dying skin, and the smell–the smell of your own body dying…

     

    RYAN:

     

    At the time I got sick, I had never heard of meningococcal disease. I had no awareness of it. It had never come up in any of my doctors’ visits. I knew nothing.

     

    You have to educate your patients! Most of the doctors I’ve met, they got into this because they care about people. They want to do good things for humanity. This is a good thing for humanity. I tell them to their face, “You gotta give them the information and let them make the decision.”

     

    On-screen Text:

     

    Vaccination may not protect all recipients.

     

    RYAN:

     

    You have to do everything in your power to help prevent someone from having to go through what I went through. Vaccination may not protect all recipients.

     

    Background audio, Ryan speaking from podium:

     

    So please, hear your patients out, educate them, do whatever you can to help prevent it.

     

    RYAN:

     

    It’s one of the most fulfilling things that I do in my life is to get out there and share my story.

     

    When I meet someone who feels like their eyes have been opened to this disease, what it can do to you, what it could do to one of–one of their patients, it’s among the most fulfilling things that I do. I love it so much.

     

    If I can inspire people to have that conversation with their patients, that’s what it’s all about. I hope no one has to go through what I went through again.

     

    On-screen Text:

     

    Trademarks are owned by or licensed to the GSK group of companies.

     

    ©2024 GSK or licensor.

     

    BEXVID230053 February 2024

     

    Produced in USA.

Kim “I Survived”

Kim recounts her daughter’s terrifying experience with meningitis.

  • Video transcript

    On-Screen Text:

     

    Kim is a meningococcal disease Advocate. She is not a healthcare provider. This is her story in her own words. Kim was compensated by GSK for her participation in this program. This is one person’s experience. Other people’s experiences with meningococcal disease may be different. Vaccination may not protect all recipients.

     

    Kim:

     

    I’d say a few days before Spring Break, Lindsey called and wasn’t feeling real well. They diagnosed her with a virus, and we decided that she would come home and enjoy some good quality family time with Alan (her dad) and I and her older sister, Jordan. So, Alan and I were working in the yard and Lindsey had been laying down for a bit, and I thought, “You know, I should probably go check on her.” She was sleeping, and when I reached down to touch her skin, she was extremely warm. So, I reached down, and I put the thermometer under her arm, and—and it read 104. We immediately rushed her to the ER. I remember meningitis being mentioned multiple times. We just knew that she felt awful—awful. I remember pulling meningitis up on the internet, and I’ll never forget reading the description—that she could have organ damage. Pictures that showed this horrible petechiae rash with people missing limbs. And then reading that it could potentially take my daughter’s life. That’s scary. Eventually, Lindsey’s physician came in and confirmed that Lindsey had a diagnosis of meningococcal septicemia, serogroup B. Lindsey was in the hospital for 14 days, and it was probably the longest 14 days of my life, and we were so incredibly blessed that she recovered. If I would have known that there was a way to help prevent what happened to Lindsey, I would have taken it in a heartbeat. I want healthcare professionals to give moms and dads the information that we need to help protect our children.

     

    On-Screen Text:

     

    Adolescents/young adults need vaccines to help protect against the 5 vaccine-preventable serogroups for meningitis—Men A, B, C, W, & Y. Vaccination may not protect all recipients.

     

    Kim:

     

    Please educate us about the types of vaccines needed to help protect against the five most common types of meningitis. So many people who experience meningitis, their children don’t make it. They don’t get that second chance.

     

    On-Screen Text:

     

    GSK LOGO

     

    Trademarks are owned by or licensed to the GSK group of companies.

     

    ©2023 GSK or licensor.

     

    BEXVID230048 November 2023

     

    Produced in USA.

Missy & Sarah “I Survived”

Sarah and her mother describe the lasting toll meningitis has taken on their family.

  • Video transcript

    On-Screen Text:

     

    Sarah and Missy are meningococcal disease Advocates. They are not healthcare providers. This is their story in their own words.

     

    Sarah and Missy were compensated by GSK for their participation in this program. This is the shared experience of two people. Other people’s experiences with meningococcal disease may be different.

     

    Vaccination may not protect all recipients.

     

    SARAH:

     

    I saw a rash spreading from the tips of my ankles to my thighs, and the nurse took my temperature, and it was 105.8.

     

    MISSY:

     

    I couldn’t process what was happening. Something had gone just completely off the rails; it was happening so suddenly.

     

    SARAH:

     

    I was certain that I was dying.

     

    On-Screen Text:

     

    SARAH SURVIVOR

     

    MISSY MOM & ADVOCATE

     

    SARAH:

     

    When I was a kid, I was very physically active with gymnastics, a competitive gymnast up until I was 16 years old, then was in college studying. I wanted to be a journalist and be a news anchor doing something with a communications degree, and it didn’t happen.

     

    One day, I woke up with the impression that I had a cold of some sorts, but within a few hours, it turned out to be much more than a cold.

     

    I was texting with my friend, and my exact text message to her said, “I feel as though something is attacking my mind and body,” and that’s when she contacted my mom, and my mom took me to the emergency room.

     

    MISSY:

     

    I’ll never forget the day that Sarah got sick because from that day everything changed. When I went to see Sarah in the examining room, she was not speaking clearly. Her words were becoming garbled. She had some vomit on her gown.

     

    SARAH:

     

    I was so scared of what was happening to me. I saw a rash spreading from the tips of my ankles to my thighs, and the nurse took my temperature, and it was 105.8.

     

    MISSY:

     

    I couldn’t process what was happening. Something had gone just completely off the rails. It was happening so suddenly, and when the doctor said, “You have to leave the room. We need to intubate her,” terror…I felt terror.

     

    SARAH:

     

    I asked my dad if I was dying. It was really scary because I was certain that I was dying, completely certain. They put me in a medically induced coma for five days, and during that time I was given IV antibiotics.

     

    MISSY:

     

    The doctors told us they didn’t know what to expect. They were suspecting meningitis, and I kept saying, “There’s no way. I know she was vaccinated. She does not have meningitis. It’s something else.”

     

    On-Screen Text:

     

    Sarah’s illness occurred in 2014, the same year meningitis B vaccination first became available.

     

    MISSY:

     

    The neurologist came in to do a spinal tap. They had to confirm her diagnosis, and they told us that Sarah definitely had meningitis B. She also had myelitis, encephalitis and septicemia. We immediately said, “What does this mean?” And they said, “There’s a lot of things it can mean. Sarah can have brain damage. She could lose limbs, she could lose her hearing, or she could die, and there’s no way we can tell you what’s going to happen now.”

     

    The sensation I felt, my legs literally gave way under me, and I had to grasp onto my husband. It’s like the worst nightmare scene you can imagine.

     

    While Sarah was in her medically induced coma, I was watching like a hawk for any sign of what the doctors told us could happen. We were just holding her hands and hoping for some sign that she was still in there.

     

    SARAH:

     

    When I woke up from my coma, I could barely hear anything, and everything I saw was doubled and tilted, and at that point I could not move my legs. I spent two weeks in the ICU.

     

    I was taught how to take my first steps. I was taught how to swallow again, and that was only the beginning of my recovery. I had no idea what was going on and how it would impact my life in the future. I had no idea.

     

    MISSY:

     

    They said that 100% of her hearing was gone from her left ear and 20% from her right. And I just remember being relieved that that’s all, so far, that we had that wasn’t working, and it was just shocking to me that I could be grateful for hearing loss. After two weeks, she reached the point that she could slowly move with the walker, and that’s when she was discharged to a rehab hospital. (Background chatter)

     

    SARAH:

     

    I did vision therapy, bladder therapy and cognitive therapy along with physical, occupational and speech therapy. Every session felt like it lasted forever. I was tired all the time. My mom and dad let me move back in. They took care of me.

     

    My mom drove me to therapy for months, supported me financially. They, I mean, they went and have gone above and beyond.

     

    MISSY:

     

    We had to remove all of our throw rugs. We had to put one of the detachable nozzles in her shower. We had to put a commode in her room because she wasn’t able to get up and get to the toilet fast enough. We had to buy adult diapers ’cause she wasn’t able to control her bladder and sometimes her bowels.

     

    SARAH:

     

    It took me about a year to realize the severity of what meningitis did to me and that all, a lot of the consequences from it were completely permanent.

     

    Cognitive therapy was very difficult for me. It was very emotional, too, and very difficult to learn how to do things that I had been doing my entire life again, and I knew in the back of my brain that I could concentrate better. I knew that I could speak, I knew that I could do these things, but I couldn’t access that, and it was very frustrating for me. I was unbelievably uncomfortable talking to people and embarrassed. I felt very, very anxious. It was as though my identity went out the window.

     

    Also, to be 22, 23 and see all my friends off at college and graduating and going into careers that they chose when I was completely powerless in my situation, it was very, very, very hard.

     

    MISSY:

     

    All these years later, Sarah is still dealing with meningitis on a daily basis. We haven’t been through the physical problems like Sarah has but we have I say it’s kind of like a PTSD. If the phone rings at an odd time, I immediately think it’s Sarah. I think something’s happened. My son is the same way. If I call him and start with a sentence “Sarah,” he’s like, “What happened, Mom?” So, we’re, we’re on edge, and we haven’t lost the fear of that phone ringing or something happening with Sarah.

     

    SARAH:

     

    When I look back on this journey, I feel really bad for myself. It was unbelievably difficult, and it breaks my heart, you know, even now thinking about myself just having problems with hearing every single day. It’s, it’s very sad.

     

    I’ve made peace with what’s happened to me through creative work: painting, writing poetry, physical activity, yoga. It’s finding outlets to express it and accepting it. I am very passionate about educating others on meningitis because it’s, it is such a difficult life having these consequences.

     

    MISSY:

     

    Meningococcal disease is a terrible thing. It can change the lives of the patient and the patient’s family. I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.

     

    On-Screen Text:

     

    Adolescents/young adults need vaccines to help protect against the 5 vaccine-preventable serogroups for meningitis—Men A, B, C, W, & Y. Vaccination may not protect all recipients.

     

    MISSY:

     

    I was surprised to find out the vaccine she had before did not cover meningitis B. I feel like I should have been more informed. Nobody told me about meningitis B and the dangers associated with it. I know it’s a rare disease, and it may not happen, but it happens. It happened to us. I want to say to the health professionals out there educate your patients! Talk to your patients about meningitis B.

     

    SARAH:

     

    I will do absolutely any and everything I can to educate people about meningitis and what they can do to help prevent it. Please help educate your patients about meningitis. Don’t leave it up to chance.

     

    On-Screen Text:

     

    GSK Logo

     

    Trademarks are owned by or licensed to the GSK group of companies.

     

    ©2023 GSK or licensor.

     

    BEXVID230052 November 2023

     

    Produced in USA.

Ashley “I Survived”

Ashley shares how meningitis drastically changed the course of her life as a young high school student.

  • Video transcript

    On-screen Text:

     

    Ashley is a meningococcal disease Advocate. She is not a healthcare provider. This is her story in her own words.

     

    Ashley was compensated by GSK for her participation in this program. This is one person’s experience. Other people’s experiences with meningococcal disease may be different.

     

    Vaccination may not protect all recipients.

     

    Ashley:

     

    When I was a kid, I loved music and dance. I did jazz, ballet, and tap.

     

    What I loved about dance was I could kind of get into my own world. I could really feel the music.

     

    Every year, we would have a recital, and it was basically like the opportunity to get, you know, your hair done, makeup, the lights, being center stage, getting flowers. It was just a thrill to get up in front of hundreds of people and show off!

     

    At one point, I did consider dance as a possible career. But things changed dramatically for me.

     

    On-screen Text:

     

    ASHLEY SURVIVOR

     

    Ashley:

     

    I was 16 years old. It was actually the summer before my junior year.

     

    I woke up, didn’t feel the greatest, kind of had a headache and just kind of rested at the house that day, and then throughout the evening, it just kind of got worse. I felt nauseous, threw up a little, head was hurting, and then about 2 o’clock in the morning I woke up, and I had two small bruises on my right side.

     

    I sleep a few hours. My alarm goes off at six. I wake up, and this time those two bruises are now like hundreds of little bruises all over my body–my legs, my chest, my face, my arms–and then eventually it was to the point where I couldn’t even walk.

     

    I was really scared. I just knew that something wasn’t right.

     

    My mom put me right in the car and took me straight to the emergency room.

     

    I wasn’t able to easily move. My fingers were swelling. I was in extreme pain.

     

    Once they did the spinal tap, at that point, I don’t remember anything after that.

     

    They needed to put me into a medically induced coma, which I was in for a week.

     

    When I woke up, my hands were black, my fingers were black, my toes were– were dark. There was a lot of damage.

     

    The doctors came in. They told me that I had meningococcal meningitis with septicemia, explained, you know, what had happened, you know, that I would have to have surgeries, that there was, you know, a long road ahead of me.

     

    I asked the doctors and nurses all types of questions and realized ultimately in the end that I was lucky to be alive, that many people die from meningococcal meningitis, and I was actually one of the lucky ones.

     

    They did 20 to 25 surgeries just on my hands. All my fingers were taken to that last knuckle, if not a little bit further.

     

    Emotionally, it was–it was hard. I cried. Pretty sure the doctor didn’t know how to take that. I think dealing with a young patient, even he was kind of taken back by the emotion of it all.

     

    During the time with my fingers, I knew I’d probably have to have some toes amputated, but then the decision was made that I needed to get my left leg amputated up to my ankle.

     

    At first, I didn’t want to do it. My mother stepped in and was like, “You can’t deny the surgery. You have to get it. You will die if you don’t get the surgery.”

     

    I think the leg was more emotionally difficult for me because I felt like that was taking away my independence, like I felt like losing my fingers was ok. I would figure things out. It may not be easy, but at least I can be upright. I can walk, but once I lost my leg, like what does that look like?

     

    Losing my leg meant to me that I wouldn’t be able to dance again.

     

    It was emotions that I never thought I would experience, never had a history with. You know, as a teenager, you’re invincible. You don’t think anything bad can happen to you, so like, the worst thing is like your boyfriend breaks up with you or somebody talks bad about you at school, and now here I am facing all these big emotions and how do you deal with that?

     

    It was one of the most painful of the amputations. I would have what they call phantom pain, and that lasted a few months.

     

    One of the things that I did was make sure there was always a pillow in the bed where my leg was. You know, when I had a blanket over–over me, the pillow had to be there. It had to be folded and kind of look like a leg. It had to be shaped that way, and I did that throughout the entirety of my hospital stay.

     

    Getting sick at 16 is completely different than what most 16-year-olds are dealing with.

     

    I had to re-learn how to walk. I had to relearn how to feed myself, re-learn how to brush my hair, just things that you don’t think you’ll have to learn to do again once you’ve learned them.

     

    After high school, I went on to college. Took a little longer than anticipated, but went on, got a bachelor’s degree in computer science, and then took that a step further to get an MBA.

     

    I got married, had a daughter, Bailey.

     

    Motherhood was definitely different. I didn’t know how I was going to change a diaper. I really didn’t until she was born, and then I figured it out along with everything else when she was a baby, how to get her in and out of a car seat. I figured it out just like I’d figured out everything before that.

     

    Going through life, there’s always going to be a challenge. I’m always going to run into something I haven’t done before, and how do I do that? I don’t know going in a lot of times if I can do it, but if I don’t try, then I’ll never know, so I’m always, you know, up for the challenge to figure out a way to do something.

     

    There’s times when I look back and it’s sad to think everything that I went through, everything that changed, how I changed as a person and where I am now today versus where I would have been had it not happened, but ultimately, in the end, I wouldn’t change anything, because I feel like because of what I went through, I am who I am today.

     

    I have a new–a new dance. It may not be on a stage or in a dance class, but I still dance through life, and I’m now comfortable with that.

     

    One of the reasons I’m passionate about meningitis awareness is because many people don’t know about it. They don’t know what it can do to your body.

     

    My hope is that no one else has to experience this awful disease.

     

    Vaccines are available to help prevent meningitis, and parents need to be aware of the risks of the disease and what their options are.

     

    On-screen Text:

     

    Adolescents/young adults need vaccines to help protect against the 5 vaccine-preventable serogroups for meningitis—Men A, B, C, W, & Y. Vaccination may not protect all recipients.

     

    Ashley:

     

    As Bailey’s mom, I want to do everything in my power to help prevent her from going through what I did.

     

    Please help educate your patients about meningitis. Don’t leave it up to chance.

     

    On-Screen Text:

     

    GSK logo

     

    Trademarks are owned by or licensed to the GSK group of companies.

     

    ©2023 GSK or licensor.

     

    BEXVID230054 November 2023

     

    Produced in USA.

Nate “I Survived”

Nate reflects on his tragic encounter with meningitis—and his drive to persevere despite it.

  • Video transcript

    On-Screen Text:

     

    Nate is a patient advocate and a survivor of meningococcal disease. He is not a healthcare provider. This is his story, in his own words. Nate was compensated by GSK for his participation. This is one person’s experience; other people’s experiences with meningococcal disease may be different. Vaccination may not protect all recipients.

     

    Nate:

     

    In the spring of 2005, I had meningococcal septicemia with complications from disseminated intervascular coagulation. They did their best to keep me from seeing what my legs looked like. I could see my fingers, that they had turned black and crispy. It took two days for the doctors to do all the amputations that were required. They removed my left leg below the knee, the toes on my right foot, and the fingers on both hands. The doctor told me I would never walk again. It was like my life had changed in an instant. I was going to have a life of remembering the things that I used to be able to do and having a hard time not being able to do them. After they told me I would never walk again, it was an answer I would not accept. I decided that I would make it happen no matter what. I went through several different prosthetics to try and find prosthetics that actually worked. And, after four years of struggle, and four years of pain, I finally was able to walk full-time. I’m working now to hike the Pacific Crest Trail. That’s my goal. It’s 2,650 miles from the Mexican border to the Canadian border through California, Oregon, and Washington. Being able to set foot on that trail and just even attempt it is special, something that I wasn’t supposed to ever be able to do. Although meningitis is uncommon, people who contract it don’t always live to tell their story. My hope is that physicians will educate themselves on the importance of vaccination for meningococcal disease and that people will talk to their doctors about it. We think it can’t happen to us, but it can happen. You can take steps to help protect your patients from getting it.

     

    On-Screen Text:

     

    Adolescents/young adults need vaccines to help protect against the 5 vaccine-preventable serogroups for meningitis—Men A, B, C, W, & Y. Vaccination may not protect all recipients.

     

    GSK Logo

     

    Trademarks are owned by or licensed to the GSK group of companies.

     

    ©2023 GSK or licensor.

     

    BEXVID230047 November 2023

     

    Produced in USA.

Meet Ryan

Ryan’s meningitis story began on Halloween night in 1998, and it still haunts him to this day.

  • Video transcript

    On-screen Text:

     

    Ryan is a meningococcal disease Advocate. He is not a healthcare provider. This is his story in his own words.

     

    Ryan was compensated by GSK for his participation in this program. This is one person’s experience. Other people’s experiences with meningococcal disease may be different.

     

    Vaccination may not protect all recipients.

     

    RYAN:

     

    I was 21 years old when I contracted meningococcal disease.

     

    The first thing that happened was I had a horrific headache. Then I noticed some purple blotches on my arm, a little bit of neck pain, and the most excruciating part that I remember is just how much pain I felt in my limbs. My feet hurt so bad. I just remember screaming over and over to the doctors, “Cut my feet off! Just cut them off!” That’s how bad they hurt.

     

    It’s hard to put into words, but it felt like death was a presence in the room. I felt like it was standing beside me, knocking on the door, right there. The doctors told my family that there was about an 85% chance I would not make it.

     

    I spent a week in a coma. When I woke up, my life was never going to be the same.

     

    The first thing I saw was my feet, and they were purple and swelled up, and within a couple of days they started to turn black. My feet were dying.

     

    The last procedure, I had all 10 toes and the ends of both feet amputated. I went from a size 12 foot down to a size 4 foot on both feet.

     

    The surgeries themselves hurt, and every day since then has hurt. I have chronic pain, and it affects me not just every day, every hour of every day. There’s not a single 30- or 60-minute stretch of my life where I’m not thinking about my feet.

     

    This changed me forever.

     

    It broke me. It broke my soul.

     

    It’s been more than 20 years since I got sick.

     

    And I have a great family, great job, three amazing kids, amazing wife. I am incredibly happy. I feel grateful every day that I made it, but I never forget meningococcal disease–what it did to me.

     

    Today, I’m a great advocate for meningococcal disease awareness and prevention.

     

    I’ve had the privilege of speaking to thousands of doctors and medical providers in all corners of this country, and it’s all about one thing: Spread the word, carry the message, teach people about this, what it can do.

     

    Background audio, Ryan speaking from podium:

     

    I appreciate the opportunity to come out, tell my story. It’s very–very important to me…

     

    RYAN:

     

    When I speak to people, my goal is to wake them up. You know, this is a real thing. It’s a devastating, heartbreaking disease that can kill you. I pull no punches. I tell them what it did to me, how it felt. I talk about the physical pain. I also talk about the emotional and spiritual pain and working through all of that.

     

    Background audio, Ryan speaking from podium:

     

    The reality of this disease, it was crushing, absolutely crushing. I was in incredible pain. I had to drop out of college. I was in a wheelchair for six months, had to completely re-learn how to walk. There was just black dying skin, and the smell–the smell of your own body dying…

     

    RYAN:

     

    At the time I got sick, I had never heard of meningococcal disease. I had no awareness of it. It had never come up in any of my doctors’ visits. I knew nothing.

     

    You have to educate your patients! Most of the doctors I’ve met, they got into this because they care about people. They want to do good things for humanity. This is a good thing for humanity. I tell them to their face, “You gotta give them the information and let them make the decision.”

     

    On-screen Text:

     

    Vaccination may not protect all recipients.

     

    RYAN:

     

    You have to do everything in your power to help prevent someone from having to go through what I went through. Vaccination may not protect all recipients.

     

    Background audio, Ryan speaking from podium:

     

    So please, hear your patients out, educate them, do whatever you can to help prevent it.

     

    RYAN:

     

    It’s one of the most fulfilling things that I do in my life is to get out there and share my story.

     

    When I meet someone who feels like their eyes have been opened to this disease, what it can do to you, what it could do to one of–one of their patients, it’s among the most fulfilling things that I do. I love it so much.

     

    If I can inspire people to have that conversation with their patients, that’s what it’s all about. I hope no one has to go through what I went through again.

     

    On-screen Text:

     

    Trademarks are owned by or licensed to the GSK group of companies.

     

    ©2024 GSK or licensor.

     

    BEXVID230053 February 2024

     

    Produced in USA.

Vaccination may not protect all recipients.