By Frazer Maude, news correspondent
A leading meningitis charity is calling for better support for survivors of the disease.
The Meningitis Research Foundation (MRF) is also campaigning for greater awareness of the condition and its long-term after effects.
The group commissioned a survey to coincide with Meningitis Awareness Week, which shows how little people know about the disease.
According to the report, nearly 55% of those surveyed didn't know meningitis can cause blindness; nearly 65% didn't know that depression or anxiety can be a result of meningitis; nearly 80% didn't know about tinnitus; nearly 70% didn't know about memory loss; and over 70% didn't know meningitis can cause learning difficulties.
Vinny Smith, CEO of MRF, says: "It's highlighting the fact that one in five people who get bacterial meningitis will go on to have life-long after effects.
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"When we surveyed 2,000 people we found they did know people die of meningitis but they were unaware of the life-long impact it has – such as deafness.
"Meningitis also has a lot of after effects like anxiety, depression, and children needing educational support. We're using the report today to say people need great support and services."
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Matthew Lessells was diagnosed with Meningitis B as a one-year-old.
He survived, but nine years on he still has problems with communicating and suffers from memory loss.
Mother Gemma says it was only with family support that she and her husband managed to cope.
"When Matthew was younger and couldn't express himself, it used to make him so frustrated he would bang his head on the floor," she says.
"It was a real strain on the whole family as we tried to find the rigRead More – Source
