A mum whose daughter survived meningitis plans to tackle the London Marathon to raise both money to help fight the disease and awareness of its devastating impact.

Laura Fletcher, 34, of Gomersal, will be running her first marathon when she takes part in the world famous race on April 26, and will do it for the Meningitis Research Foundation.

In December 2011 her daughter Ruby contracted the disease aged 13 months. Although she survived, many children are not so lucky.

She had hoped to raise £1,500 for the charity by running the marathon, but having already smashed that target has her sights set on raising as much as possible.

Mrs Fletcher, who works for the probation service, said: “My daughter spent seven days in an intensive care unit and was discharged having made an excellent recovery.

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"She is now fully signed off from consultant care and has just a few scars on her legs and body following the illness.

“My daughter’s illness had, and continues to have a profound impact on my husband and I, as well as our family and friends.

"It is only really since Ruby began to recover that I was able to research into the illness and hence discover just how lucky she was to make such a recovery.

"As a parent who has experienced such a difficult and life changing experience that has had a positive outcome, I feel it is important to offer my support in raising awareness of the illness.

"My husband and I were well aware of the symptoms so as soon as Ruby showed signs of the illness we were alert. We acted quickly and as a result were told this had almost certainly saved her life. Therefore equipping parents with this knowledge is paramount.

“I cannot begin to imagine how I would have coped if I had lost my daughter, as so many parents have to this illness.

"It is something I think about each day and I am sure the memory of the moment I was told to prepare myself for the worst by the doctors is unlikely to ever leave me.

"It is important to remain positive and continue to support anything that will contribute to reducing the incidences and impact of meningitis and septicaemia.”

Esther Trackman, of the foundation, said: “We are extremely grateful to Laura for running the London Marathon in April on our behalf. As she is aware meningitis and septicaemia are deadly diseases which can strike without warning, killing in hours.”

Meningitis is the inflammation of the lining around the brain and spinal cord while septicaemia is the blood poisoning form of the disease.

Meningitis is usually bacterial or viral, and occasionally is due to fungal infections, although almost any microbe can cause it.

Viral meningitis can be very unpleasant but it is almost never life threatening and most people quickly make a full recovery.

Bacterial meningitis is more common and more serious and can be caused by a range of different bacteria.

Meningococcal bacteria can cause meningitis, septicaemia or both. Most people who get the disease have some symptoms of both meningococcal meningitis and meningococcal septicaemia and together these two forms of the disease are known as meningococcal disease.

To sponsor Laura, visit her online donation page at justgiving.com/Laura-Fletcher12/

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