A 19-year-old university student has warned others about meningitis after contracting the disease at a concert, describing it as 'unlike anything you'll ever have'. Sofia Mattacola Westley, from Northamptonshire, developed the illness before starting her studies at the University of Exeter in 2025, and is now encouraging people to be more vigilant about its flu-like symptoms.
From concert to collapse
Sofia, who was 18 at the time, contracted viral meningitis with traces of a bacterial infection while making the most of her final weeks at home. Three days after attending a concert, she woke up with symptoms of a common cold, including a "fever and a lingering headache" which she initially mistook for a typical migraine.
Believing she had a routine illness, Sofia took a bath with salt crystals for relief. She said: "When I got out a few hours later, I had a rash all over my body." She then began vomiting persistently, with her health "up and down" after the initial symptoms.
48 hours in A&E
After collapsing at home, Sofia's mum rang 111. An ambulance collected her, and she spent 48 hours in A&E, which she described as "horrendous". She was initially admitted to a ward for five days, during which she underwent a spinal tap, before being moved to a room with her mum for over a week.
The spinal tap revealed she was suffering from a combination of viral and bacterial meningitis. Throughout her hospital stay, Sofia said: "I literally couldn't keep any food down, I couldn't really drink, I couldn't sleep." After treatment, she woke up one morning and could "finally keep food down".
Long-term effects
After a fortnight, Sofia was discharged but continues to experience chronic fatigue and low-pressure headaches. According to the NHS, meningitis is an infection of the protective layers covering the brain and spinal cord, and can be life-threatening if not treated quickly.
Having taken a year out of education, Sofia has begun university this year but speaks candidly about the mental and physical impact. "I do just want to drop out; I'm really struggling to get back in the vibe of being academic and going out there socially," she said. "I've lost motivation to do things in the future. I used to have such a good end career goal. I used to want to work in Formula 1. That's all just gone; I just want to be at home by myself because it's hard to do things every day without feeling ill."
Sofia revealed she has only ventured out once during Freshers' Week, explaining: "Going out is not something I look forward to anymore". She added: "The worst consequence of it is mentally what it's done to me." She urges new students to be "proactive in trying not to get ill", saying: "If you have a gut feeling that something's not right, definitely get it checked out."
Recognising the signs
A Pharmacy2U spokesperson said: "When students head back to university for the start of the year, the coming together of large numbers of people brings new pathogens like viruses and bacteria with them. Freshers' flu is the overarching term for this combination of common cold viruses that typically occur as these new germs are spread amongst the student population."
"On the other hand, meningitis is the inflammation of the protective linings around the brain and spinal cord. This is commonly caused by viral or bacterial infections, though it can also be triggered by fungal, parasitic and other non-infectious factors. Meningitis can affect anyone, but students are particularly at risk as they often live in close proximity with one another. Despite having some similar symptoms, this is a far more serious, and potentially fatal, illness that requires immediate medical attention, so everyone should be able to recognise the signs."
Serious symptoms include a high temperature, severe headaches, sensitivity to light, neck stiffness, a bruise-like rash, and having been in close proximity with someone diagnosed. Depending on age, confusion, seizures and difficulty walking can also occur. The spokesperson added: "People with meningitis can also experience rashes, but these often occur at the later stages of the illness or not at all. As a rash may not appear at all and symptoms can occur in any order you should never wait for a rash to appear to seek medical attention."
A meningococcal rash can start as tiny red or purple pinprick spots and may develop into larger purple blotches. The glass test can check whether a rash fades under pressure, but it does not rule out the disease: press the side of a clear glass firmly against the rash. If the spots remain visible and do not fade, seek urgent medical help. The NHS recommends calling 999 or attending A&E immediately if symptoms are present.
