Meningitis Now is a national

charity Charity may refer to: Giving * Charitable organization or charity, a non-profit organization whose primary objectives are philanthropy and social well-being of persons * Charity (practice), the practice of being benevolent, giving and sharing * C ...

based in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

. It was formed following a merger between the charities The Meningitis Trust and Meningitis UK in 2013. Meningitis Now is working towards a future where no one in the UK dies from meningitis and everyone affected gets the support they need.

History

Meningitis Trust was a

formed in the

in 1986 to fight meningitis. Meningitis UK was originally called the Spencer Dayman Meningitis Laboratories in memory of founder and chief executive Steve Dayman's son, who died of meningitis an
meningococcal septicaemia
in 1982, aged 14-months. It was established in 1999 to fund a £500,000 dedicated meningitis research laboratory in the School of Medical Sciences at

University of Bristol , mottoeng = earningpromotes one's innate power (from Horace, ''Ode 4.4'') , established = 1595 – Merchant Venturers School1876 – University College, Bristol1909 – received royal charter , type ...

. Once this project was completed, the charity decided to focus solely on funding research into a preventative vaccine for all forms of meningitis. In 2013, the Meningitis Trust and Meningitis UK merged and the new organisation was renamed Meningitis Now. Medical research is still at the heart of what they do, together with awareness raising and support.

Future challenges

Vision 2020 sets out our goals and priorities through to 2020, moving Meningitis Now ever closer to a future where no one in the UK loses their life to meningitis and everyone affected gets the support they need. Without a vaccine to protect against all types of meningitis there is still much to do and Meningitis Now continues to counter the misconceptions that meningitis is a disease of the past and that it only affects babies and young children - in fact, anyone of any age can contract meningitis. Meningitis Now's goals remain to save lives and prevent disability through improving prevention and rapid diagnosis and rebuilding futures and improving quality of life through increased recognition of the impact of meningitis and the provision of timely, effective support.

Patrons

Among the charity's patrons are: • Lord Darzi • The Countess of Wessex • Andrew Harvey •

Lord Williams of Oystermouth Rowan Douglas Williams, Baron Williams of Oystermouth, (born 14 June 1950) is a Welsh Anglican bishop, theologian and poet. He was the 104th Archbishop of Canterbury, a position he held from December 2002 to December 2012. Previously the ...

•

Ken Loach Kenneth Charles Loach (born 17 June 1936) is a British film director and screenwriter. His socially critical directing style and socialist ideals are evident in his film treatment of social issues such as poverty ('' Poor Cow'', 1967), homelessn ...

•

Lisa Snowdon Lisa Snowdon
7 May 2001, ''People'' (born Lisa Snawdon on 23 January 1972) is an English television an ...

• Dr Ellie Cannon •

Ian Rush Ian James Rush (born 20 October 1961) is a Welsh former professional footballer who played as a forward. At club level Rush played for Liverpool from 1980–1987 and 1988–1996. He is the club's all-time leading goalscorer, having scored a t ...

MBE •

Joanna Trollope Joanna Trollope (; born 9 December 1943) is an English writer. She has also written under the pseudonym of Caroline Harvey. Her novel ''Parson Harding's Daughter'' won in 1980 the Romantic Novel of the Year Award by the Romantic Novelists' Ass ...

OBE • Denis Law •

Joe Swash Joseph Adam Swash is an English actor and television presenter, best known for his role of Mickey Miller in the BBC One soap opera ''EastEnders'' and various presenting roles with ITV2. He won the eighth series of '' I'm a Celebrity...Get Me ...

References

External links

* {{Official website, https://www.meningitisnow.org/
BBC Radio 4
Health charities in the United Kingdom Meningitis