BBC Breakfast presenter Luxmy Gopal was visibly emotional after hearing the harrowing account of Sammy Knowles, a 40-year-old mother who lost her four-year-old son Jaxon to meningitis. Sammy and her husband Jordan appeared in a pre-recorded segment to share their story and raise awareness of the disease.
Sammy described noticing a rash on Jaxon that looked like 'burst blood vessels' and immediately called an ambulance. On the way to Rotherham Hospital, paramedics told her they suspected meningitis. 'When we got there they were waiting... but by the time we got from the house to the hospital the rash had just ravaged his body,' she said, fighting back tears.
Despite the swift response from a team of 15 medical professionals, Jaxon died just hours later. The couple have since set up a memorial fund in his name, with all proceeds going to the charity Meningitis Now.
Dr Tom Nutt, CEO of Meningitis Now, appeared on the programme to discuss the disease. He confirmed that meningitis can kill within 24 hours and that one in ten people affected by bacterial meningitis will die. He urged parents to take up NHS vaccines, saying, 'If you're ever offered a vaccine for your child or yourself... take it up because it could save a life.'
