For My UK Sibs -- Please Read

[la_samtyr]

Passing this along from my friend candygramme:

A year ago, my long time friend sharonmarais died very suddenly of meningitis. Her husband, John is mounting a campaign to raise awareness of this horrid disease. To that end, he's written an open letter to the political candidates in his riding. I can't think of how to offer support other than asking any of you that can to do the same to your would-be MPs. If nothing else, it will serve as a tribute to Sharon's memory, and who knows, they might find a vaccination if there is enough funding.



Open Letter to Cambridge Parliamentary Candidates

From: John Marais, Address supplied

To: Julian Huppert - LibDem candidate
Daniel Zeichner - Labour candidate
Nick Hillman - Conservative candidate
Tony Juniper - Green candidate

Dear Candidates,

Just over a year ago my wife Sharon was the victim of a swift, ruthless killer - Meningitis B.

I would like to ask you, as prospective MPs, whether you would pursue the issue of more funding for research aimed at developing a vaccine to eradicate the scourge of meningitis (group B), which kills approximately 300 people a year - three babies died in Ipswich alone during the Xmas period. Many survivors remain permanently maimed or brain-damaged.

A frightening characteristic of meningitis B is that its symptoms mimic less serious illnesses such as colds, flu or novovirus. It is extremely difficult, sometimes impossible, for doctors to diagnose the potentially lethal bacterial form of the disease in time. That is why prevention by vaccination, which has virtually eliminated other types of meningitis in the UK, is so essential.

Cambridge's current MP, David Howarth, has kindly raised the question with the government, and established last year from Minister of State for Health, Dawn Primarolo, that in 2007/8 £430,000 was channelled through the Medical Research Council to aid meningitis research, with a further £93,000 directly from the Department of Health.

Could you offer an assurance that not only would you support that level of funding, in real terms, but prefererably would advocate a considerable increase? Despite a reduction in donations during the recession, funding raised by charities, particularly Meningitis UK, has enabled researchers at Bristol, Oxford, Sheffield and other universities to get close to the goal of an effective vaccine. So the door is ajar, and extra support from the government could help open it wide, accelerate the research process and thus reduce future tragedy and suffering.

I would greatly appreciate any positive responses you feel able to make.

Yours Sincerely, John Marais.

Comments

[spiced-wine.livejournal.com]

Thank you for this, Samtyr. I read of a woman who was diagnosed with Swine Flu last year, and it was Meningitis. She almost died.

[samtyr.livejournal.com]

Wow, that is very scary. There's always a chance of mis-diagnosing something, especially when symptoms can mimic so many other things. :(