Kristen Aldretti
ASMP Advocate

I left for work on a Friday morning over 30 years ago and my daughter Lindsay was healthy and happy. When I returned home later that day, Lindsay wasn't herself, although at only 20 months old, she wasn't able to articulate how she felt. She presented with a fever and appeared sleepy. We gave her medicine to address her fever and put her to bed for the evening. At 7:30 am the following morning, we found her dead in her crib. This is how fast and unpredictable meningitis is. While bittersweet, I am extremely grateful that through medical advancement, vaccinations for this horrific disease are now available––especially for the target populations of adolescents and young adults.