A coalition of mothers, known as “Moms on Meningitis,” have joined together to warn college students about the dangers of meningococcal meningitis...

That’s a potentially deadly disease, which is highly contagious. College students are especially at risk for meningitis and as you may remember, several students have gotten sick at the University of Colorado in the past couple years. It starts with flu-like symptoms including fever, neck aches, and severe, sudden head injuries. If it’s not treated it can be fatal.

College student John Kach lost a leg, several fingers and toes to the disease. “I was a freshman at Salve Regina University in Newport, Rhode Island. One night I had flu-like symptoms. I started to get sick and next morning I went to the hospital and they diagnosed me with meningococcal meningitis.”

His mom, Paige, started the group MOMs after he survived, hoping she could help other college kids avoid the disease, by getting a vaccination. “I wish John would have gotten the vaccine,” Paige Kach said. “Most college age students have other things to do, but the most important thing is to get the awareness out that parents make sure you get your kids to the doctor to get this shot.”

She says it’s especially important that parents take responsibility because, there’s so much going on for college students that the vaccination may not seem like a priority. John says he was warned, but didn’t take action. “I know in my case people mentioned the vaccine to me and I never got around to doing it. I think parents really need to take it upon themselves to get out and push their children to get the vaccine.

For more information about meningitis and vaccines, click on the link.
 

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