Australian charity celebrates 20 years of providing meningitis awareness and marks World Meningitis Day with footy star
Today WA-based charity The Meningitis Centre will celebrate its milestone 20th year of providing meningitis awareness and support to Australian families.
Established on 24 April 1992, the organisation was founded by a group of parents and health care professionals who recognised the need to raise public awareness of meningitis.
Bruce Langoulant, a dad whose family had been devastated when his six-month old daughter Ashleigh was left with physical and intellectual disabilities as a result of meningitis has been Chairman of the Centre since it was established.
Commenting on the lack of meningitis support and information available at the time, Mr Langoulant said that his family's experience spurred on him and his wife Jenni to help other families impacted by the deadly disease and to lobby for more to be done about vaccination for prevention.
"Compared with 20 years ago, Australian's are far more aware of meningitis, and keen to know more about the signs and symptoms, the importance of urgent treatment and the role vaccines play in preventing the disease. However we must remain vigilant because meningitis is still out there and not all forms are vaccine preventable," said Mr Langoulant.
One of the Meningitis Centre's biggest supporters, and now Ambassador of the organisation, is West Coast Eagles player and meningitis survivor Adam Selwood.
"Thanks to the quick actions of my parents and my doctor, I was lucky to survive meningitis and make a full recovery. It's important that people are aware of the disease and know the signs and symptoms, and that's what this Saturday is all about, creating awareness," said Mr Selwood.
Adam's mother Maree will be speaking at half-time of the West Coast Eagles versus Hawthorn game on Saturday 21st April about meningitis and encouraging the estimated 43,000 strong footy crowd to Join Hands Against Meningitis this World Meningitis Day on 24th April.
Mr Langoulant commented that he is thrilled that Adam approached The Meningitis Centre in 2010 to offer his support.
"Adam proactively contacted The Meningitis Centre once he'd learned that his life could have been seriously altered if he hadn't survived meningitis the way he had done, and he wanted to help. His experience is quite a contrast to that of my daughter Ashleigh," Mr Langoulant said.
Adam and Ashleigh's stories are featured in a new video by The Meningitis Centre called Two Lives, Two Different Outcomes. The video aims to raise awareness of the impacts meningitis can have on individuals and their families and can be viewed at: www.meningitis.com.au
Over the 20 years, The Meningitis Centre has played an integral role in lobbying for vaccines to prevent strains of meningitis, and was involved in getting the pneumococcal vaccine on the National Immunisation Program. Today the Meningitis Centre is contacted by more than 10,000 people each month via phone and the Centre's website.
The Meningitis Centre is also a founding member of global advocacy group, The Confederation of Meningitis Organisations (CoMO), which Mr Langoulant was involved in establishing in 2004 and is now President.
This World Meningitis Day (April 24), The Meningitis Centre is encouraging all Australians to know the signs and symptoms of meningitis, the urgency to treat it and the role of vaccines in prevention.
"World Meningitis Day gives us the opportunity to alert Australians that meningitis is a deadly disease and one that can cause death or permanent disability in hours. Anyone can get meningitis and empowering people with knowledge about the disease could save a life. We encourage Australians to unite in the fight against meningitis this World Meningitis Day," said Mr Langoulant.
To learn more about the signs and symptoms and to Join Hands Against Meningitis please visit:www.meningitis.com.au
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NOTE TO EDITORS:
Event Details
The Meningitis Centre 20th anniversary
Wednesday 18 April, 6pm - 8pm
Worsfold Room, Patersons Stadium, Perth
Attendees include West Coast Eagles player Adam Selwood, Maree Selwood, Meningitis Centre Chairman Bruce Langoulant and Disability Services Minister The Hon Helen Morton MLC
The West Coast Eagles Game - to mark World Meningitis Day
Saturday 21 April, 5.40pm
Patersons Stadium, Perth
For further information about meningitis and for media interviews with Bruce Langoulant, Adam Selwood or other families impacted by meningitis, please contact: