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Costa del Sol woman's Kilimanjaro climb to 'wipe out meningitis'
01/10/2022
A MÁLAGA woman has just scaled nearly 6,000 metres to the peak of Mount Kilimanjaro to raise money for meningitis research – and handed over a healthy sum to help scientists in their mission to wipe out the condition by the year 2030.
Laura Roantree grew up in the Fuengirola area, and her parents are close friends with Judy Borland, who manages Specsavers opticians' in the Costa del Sol town – a firm which sponsored her €500 for her arduous trek.
Despite not having had personal experience of meningitis among her closest circle, Laura's eyes were opened wide when she began researching an illness that strikes over 2.5 million people in the world every year.
And the mere fact that she had known very little about the condition told her that raising awareness, as well as research funds, was absolutely crucial.
“It was only when I joined the [Kilimanjaro] challenge that I was told about the effects meningitis has on families, and how serious it can be,” explains Laura.
During her social media campaign to raise cash for the cause, one of Laura's college classmates got in touch.
“She told me how she had dealt with septicaemia – caused by the same bacteria as meningitis – in our first year of our degree,” Laura reveals, “and how glad she was that we were raising awareness.”
Laura's old university mate told her that her own experience 'showed how little people knew of the condition', compounding Laura's new-found knowledge of 'how important the work the Meningitis Research Foundation are doing really is'.
“They hope to see Meningitis defeated by 2030,” Laura recalls.
Family friend Judy Borland, whose son went to the EIC school with Laura, says the plucky young woman's 'whole family' has 'done a lot for charity'.
“We were truly inspired and humbled by the case of local girl Sarah Almagro, who lost her hands and feet due to meningococcal meningitis,” Judy says.
A fundraising campaign enabled Sarah to get prosthetic feet and hands.
“She has since become Spanish national adapted surfing champion,” Judy shares.
Trekking to the summit of Africa...in the dark
Hiking for seven to eight hours a day for six days, a team of 15 – Laura, along with students from various Irish universities – finally crowned the 5,895-metre peak of Tanzania's and Africa's highest mountain, then swiftly headed back to base camp before altitude sickness could cause them serious problems.
Altitude was the greatest challenge, causing feelings of sickness, fatigue and headaches, and affected several of the group along the route.
And the hardest part was the last leg, when they reached the summit in sub-zero temperatures, in the dark, using torches strapped to their heads like miners' lights.
The actual hiking 'wasn't too hard', as long as you're physically fit, Laura admitted, and 'the pace is quite easy'.
Plus, the sublime view of the sun coming up from the very top of Africa was worth every step.
“The views are breathtaking,” Laura says, praising the 'local guides and porters', who are 'friendly and welcoming'.
Virtual and real-life hikes...and the chance of a lifetime
Laura had already managed to get the local community on board, with support from Specsavers, by organising a 'virtual walk' during lockdown 2020 which netted €1,000 and was joined by 75 people, and through hosting raffles, quiz nights and a coffee morning.
Between these and her daunting Tanzanian ascent, the Fuengirola campaigner has raised a full €3,174 for the Meningitis Research Foundation, and was very enthusiastic in her heartfelt thanks to 'each and every person who donated'.
As well as her deep gratitude to everyone who backed her cause, Laura confesses that those who helped with the fundraising had also given her an experience of a lifetime: The group Kilimanjaro climb was organised for people who seek to drum up cash for charities and raise the organisations' profiles whilst doing so, meaning her efforts on behalf of the Meningitis Research Foundation gave her the opening to attempt the trek.
“I feel very lucky to have been able to do it whilst helping others, and this was only made possible by everyone’s immense generosity,” Laura concludes.
World Meningitis Day: This Wednesday, October 5
Expect to see more in the media this coming week about meningitis – Wednesday is its 'world day', the 13th so far, and a time when support, research and survivor organisations seek to increase common knowledge of the illness.
According to the Meningitis Research Foundation, which Laura raised funds for, although the condition is typically thought of as immediately fatal, about 90% of people survive.
But that still means one in 10 die from it, and lasting effects can be extremely debilitating and disabling.
Also, catching it in time is the only way a sufferer can live to tell the tale at all.
“Bacterial meningitis is very aggressive, it develops rapidly, and can kill in hours, leaving someone with little time to seek the treatment they need to survive,” the Foundation reveals.
Its symptoms 'can be easily confused with those of other illnesses such as malaria, 'flu and Covid', according to the group.
In pregnant women, meningitis is of exceptional concern: This, together with neo-natal sepsis, are thought to be the second-greatest known cause of epilepsy and severe intellectual disability.
The Meningitis Research Foundation publishes a quote from a young woman named Sarah who survived.
“I've had over 50 operations, lost four major organs and received a kidney transplant thanks to meningococcal meningitis – I wouldn't wish it on anyone,” she says.
'Meningitis' refers to inflammation of the spinal cord and brain lining, known as the meninges.
Signs include fever, vomiting, severe headache, a rash anywhere on the body, appearing sleepy or vacant and difficult to wake, and confusion or delirium.
Patients may also have a seizure, or fit, even if they are not epileptic.
A stiff neck and extreme sensitivity to bright light is common in older children and young adults, but less so in babies and toddlers.
The confusion, delirium, sleepiness or 'spaced out' appearance, rash, fever or vomiting are also warning signs of septicaemia, especially if they are combined with pains in joints, limbs, muscles, or stomach, with diarrhoea, shivering, cold feet and hands, fast and shallow breathing or shortness of breath, pale or mottled skin, although headaches are not a typical symptom of septicaemia.
In babies, a rash that does not fade when pressed with a glass, thirst but inability to keep fluids down, and lack of urination for over 12 hours, combined with a temperature of 38ºC or more, and the 'soft spot' on their heads apparently bulging are other signs that could be meningitis or septicaemia.
Emergency medical attention needs to be sought, and immediately, the Meningitis Research Foundation stresses.
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A MÁLAGA woman has just scaled nearly 6,000 metres to the peak of Mount Kilimanjaro to raise money for meningitis research – and handed over a healthy sum to help scientists in their mission to wipe out the condition by the year 2030.
Laura Roantree grew up in the Fuengirola area, and her parents are close friends with Judy Borland, who manages Specsavers opticians' in the Costa del Sol town – a firm which sponsored her €500 for her arduous trek.
Despite not having had personal experience of meningitis among her closest circle, Laura's eyes were opened wide when she began researching an illness that strikes over 2.5 million people in the world every year.
And the mere fact that she had known very little about the condition told her that raising awareness, as well as research funds, was absolutely crucial.
“It was only when I joined the [Kilimanjaro] challenge that I was told about the effects meningitis has on families, and how serious it can be,” explains Laura.
During her social media campaign to raise cash for the cause, one of Laura's college classmates got in touch.
“She told me how she had dealt with septicaemia – caused by the same bacteria as meningitis – in our first year of our degree,” Laura reveals, “and how glad she was that we were raising awareness.”
Laura's old university mate told her that her own experience 'showed how little people knew of the condition', compounding Laura's new-found knowledge of 'how important the work the Meningitis Research Foundation are doing really is'.
“They hope to see Meningitis defeated by 2030,” Laura recalls.
Family friend Judy Borland, whose son went to the EIC school with Laura, says the plucky young woman's 'whole family' has 'done a lot for charity'.
“We were truly inspired and humbled by the case of local girl Sarah Almagro, who lost her hands and feet due to meningococcal meningitis,” Judy says.
A fundraising campaign enabled Sarah to get prosthetic feet and hands.
“She has since become Spanish national adapted surfing champion,” Judy shares.
Trekking to the summit of Africa...in the dark
Hiking for seven to eight hours a day for six days, a team of 15 – Laura, along with students from various Irish universities – finally crowned the 5,895-metre peak of Tanzania's and Africa's highest mountain, then swiftly headed back to base camp before altitude sickness could cause them serious problems.
Altitude was the greatest challenge, causing feelings of sickness, fatigue and headaches, and affected several of the group along the route.
And the hardest part was the last leg, when they reached the summit in sub-zero temperatures, in the dark, using torches strapped to their heads like miners' lights.
The actual hiking 'wasn't too hard', as long as you're physically fit, Laura admitted, and 'the pace is quite easy'.
Plus, the sublime view of the sun coming up from the very top of Africa was worth every step.
“The views are breathtaking,” Laura says, praising the 'local guides and porters', who are 'friendly and welcoming'.
Virtual and real-life hikes...and the chance of a lifetime
Laura had already managed to get the local community on board, with support from Specsavers, by organising a 'virtual walk' during lockdown 2020 which netted €1,000 and was joined by 75 people, and through hosting raffles, quiz nights and a coffee morning.
Between these and her daunting Tanzanian ascent, the Fuengirola campaigner has raised a full €3,174 for the Meningitis Research Foundation, and was very enthusiastic in her heartfelt thanks to 'each and every person who donated'.
As well as her deep gratitude to everyone who backed her cause, Laura confesses that those who helped with the fundraising had also given her an experience of a lifetime: The group Kilimanjaro climb was organised for people who seek to drum up cash for charities and raise the organisations' profiles whilst doing so, meaning her efforts on behalf of the Meningitis Research Foundation gave her the opening to attempt the trek.
“I feel very lucky to have been able to do it whilst helping others, and this was only made possible by everyone’s immense generosity,” Laura concludes.
World Meningitis Day: This Wednesday, October 5
Expect to see more in the media this coming week about meningitis – Wednesday is its 'world day', the 13th so far, and a time when support, research and survivor organisations seek to increase common knowledge of the illness.
According to the Meningitis Research Foundation, which Laura raised funds for, although the condition is typically thought of as immediately fatal, about 90% of people survive.
But that still means one in 10 die from it, and lasting effects can be extremely debilitating and disabling.
Also, catching it in time is the only way a sufferer can live to tell the tale at all.
“Bacterial meningitis is very aggressive, it develops rapidly, and can kill in hours, leaving someone with little time to seek the treatment they need to survive,” the Foundation reveals.
Its symptoms 'can be easily confused with those of other illnesses such as malaria, 'flu and Covid', according to the group.
In pregnant women, meningitis is of exceptional concern: This, together with neo-natal sepsis, are thought to be the second-greatest known cause of epilepsy and severe intellectual disability.
The Meningitis Research Foundation publishes a quote from a young woman named Sarah who survived.
“I've had over 50 operations, lost four major organs and received a kidney transplant thanks to meningococcal meningitis – I wouldn't wish it on anyone,” she says.
'Meningitis' refers to inflammation of the spinal cord and brain lining, known as the meninges.
Signs include fever, vomiting, severe headache, a rash anywhere on the body, appearing sleepy or vacant and difficult to wake, and confusion or delirium.
Patients may also have a seizure, or fit, even if they are not epileptic.
A stiff neck and extreme sensitivity to bright light is common in older children and young adults, but less so in babies and toddlers.
The confusion, delirium, sleepiness or 'spaced out' appearance, rash, fever or vomiting are also warning signs of septicaemia, especially if they are combined with pains in joints, limbs, muscles, or stomach, with diarrhoea, shivering, cold feet and hands, fast and shallow breathing or shortness of breath, pale or mottled skin, although headaches are not a typical symptom of septicaemia.
In babies, a rash that does not fade when pressed with a glass, thirst but inability to keep fluids down, and lack of urination for over 12 hours, combined with a temperature of 38ºC or more, and the 'soft spot' on their heads apparently bulging are other signs that could be meningitis or septicaemia.
Emergency medical attention needs to be sought, and immediately, the Meningitis Research Foundation stresses.
Related Topics
You may also be interested in ...
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