Over a quarter of a million people have signed a petition calling for the UK government to extend the meningitis B vaccination programme to all children after hearing about Faye’s story.
In September 2015, the UK opted to offer the meningitis B vaccine to babies born on or after 1st July 2015. Those who want their older children to get the injection have to do so privately.
The issue has been brought to the forefront after two-year-old Faye Burdett from Maidstone, Kent, died on Valentine’s Day having contracted the infection 11 days previously.
Her parents have shared her story to raise awareness about the disease and are now campaigning for the vaccination to be made available to all children, not just newborns.
The little girl was taken to A&E with a rash on her forehead. She was apparently given a one per cent chance of survival.
Faye Burdett (Image via Facebook/Meningitis Now)
Her mother Jenny explained: “After a few days she seemed to have turned a corner but the sepsis started to effect her more & the decision of limb removal was made…
“She was getting tired, her little body consumed by meningitis and sepsis (blood poisoning) we had to make the decision, a massive operation and she may die or we let her go peacefully on her own accord…
“We decided the latter and then watched our little girl slip away & at 9pm February 14th she finally fell asleep forever [sic].”
Faye’s story, which has been shared widely across Facebook and Twitter this week, highlights that there are many children out there who remain unprotected from this condition.
It is believed that the HSE also wants to roll out the free meningitis B vaccine for babies in Ireland this year as part of a €17.9m funding plan.
At the moment, parents in Ireland can ask their GP to vaccinate their child but it has to be paid for.
According to the Meningitis Research Foundation, there are around four cases of meningitis and septicaemia in Ireland every week. For more information on the disease and symptoms, visit the website here.
