Meningitis Survivor, Advocate

Just after Easter in 2006, Francesca’s mom found her motionless in bed with purplish spots on her face, wrists and legs. Francesca had been feeling sick with a fever for a few weeks. She had seen a doctor earlier that day and asked if it might be meningitis, but was told it was just the flu. At the hospital doctors gave Francesca a 20 percent chance of survival. She beat the odds, but needed intensive physical therapy to return to normal activities, which included competitive swimming. Francesca still has long-term complications.