Casey Mahlon
ASMP Advocate

I was a senior in high school when I developed a fever and a rash all over my body. My mother drove me to the ER, where I was initially misdiagnosed with hand, foot, and mouth disease and sent home. The next day, still in serious pain, but also vomiting and with a severe headache, I went to her doctor. After treating my pain, he called an ambulance. I woke up five days later and was diagnosed with serogroup B meningococcal disease. I experienced brain swelling resulting in scarring that caused long-term neurological complications.

I had been vaccinated against meningococcal disease. Unfortunately, vaccines available at the time covered most strains of the disease but did not cover serogroup B disease. Currently recommended vaccines protect against serogroups A, C, W, and Y and there is now a vaccine available for serogroup B. Today, I work in digital marketing.I want to increase awareness of meningitis and its prevention.