PARENTS of a five-month-old girl were thanking their lucky stars after the survival of their daughter – who was diagnosed with a strain of meningitis that kills one in five victims – on Christmas Eve.

Gemma and Tony Troiano spoke exclusively to the Gazette in at the end of January, 2007, about how their only child Isabella had spent two weeks fighting pneumococcal meningitis.

Gemma, 26, said: “I didn’t want to do this just so people could hear my story, but to raise awareness.

“I know from my own experiences as a mother that you read the card from the health visitor but you never think it’s going to be your son or daughter.”

Little fighter Isabella first took ill on December 17.

“We had been out visiting our godson and Isabella was off her food and just wasn’t her usual chirpy self,” said Gemma.

“It was that evening that I noticed a change. It was her cry that changed. It stopped being a cry and became more of a high-pitched whine.”

The next day Gemma and Tony became even more concerned as Isabella grew more lethargic.

When she stopped taking any fluids, the couple took Isabella to Gloucestershire Royal Hospital and she was eventually diagnosed with pneumococcal meningitis the night before Christmas.

A month later and Isabella was recovering back at home. Gemma and Tony would have to wait to see if there would be any permanent damage, knowing already she had lost hearing in her left ear.

Despite these concerns, they were glad to have Isabella back home.

“She took it all in her stride. That made it easier for us. Through it all she was still smiling,” said Gemma.