PARENTS in Almondsbury are urging families to take up new free meningitis vaccines for babies after they nearly lost their daughter to the disease.


Peter and Sarah Bailey are raising awareness of the world’s first comprehensive vaccination programme against meningococcal B (MenB) meningitis and septicaemia for babies and teenagers, which launched earlier this month.


The pair, who are also ambassadors for Thornbury-based charity Meningitis Research Foundation (MRF), are encouraging as many parents as possible to vaccinate their children.


Teaching assistant Sarah, 47, said she wanted to avoid others going through what she endured with their daughter Ella.


“Our whole world turned upside down in the space of 24 hours in November 1998. Our baby daughter Ella, now 17-years-old, was given a 50-50 chance of survival,” she said.


“After a month in intensive care she pulled through but has had many operations subsequently. These included her toes being amputated, removal of foot skin tissue, and the ongoing correction of her leg bone lengths as well as dental issues. 


“Despite all of this, she remains one of the fortunate ones and amazes us all the time – she skis , dances, plays the piano and violin and loves performing in musicals.”


Peter, 48, added: “We know how devastating these diseases can be, so we would urge all who are eligible to make sure they get the vaccines.”


The vaccination programme follows the start of a recent meningococcal ACWY (Men ACWY) vaccination programme for 14 to 18-year-old schoolchildren and 19 to 25-year-olds starting university for the first time.


The programme for youngsters was prompted by the rise of a deadly new strain of meningococcal W meningitis and septicaemia, identified by MRF’s ground-breaking Meningococcus Genome Library project.


MRF chief executive Chris Head said: “We are delighted with the introduction of these new vaccines which we hope will further reduce the number of cases in the UK. 


“However, there are still some forms of the disease which are not covered by these vaccines so it is vital that people are still aware of the symptoms of meningitis and septicaemia.”


The charity, based in Midland Way, generates money for research and raises awareness of the disease. 


For more see meningitis.org