Roxanne Ouweleen
ASMP Advocate

After nearly losing my life to bacterial meningitis, my journey to recovery has been marked by immense challenges and resilience. What began as a routine 5K race in May 2016 quickly turned into a life-threatening ordeal when I became severely ill just hours after the race. My husband, Mark, rushed me to the hospital, where doctors discovered a bacterial infection so severe that my organs began to shut down. I spent nine weeks in the hospital and underwent multiple amputations due to irreversible tissue damage caused by the infection. Both of my hands were amputated before I left the hospital, and later, both legs below the knee were also amputated.

Despite these hardships, I have shown incredible strength, learning to walk with prosthetics and adjust to life with a robotic hand. My determination to overcome these obstacles, along with the unwavering support from family and friends, has been a source of inspiration to those around me. “I’m trying to reach as many people that may be in the same situation as possible to support them and give them any kind of pointers or advice...or just listening.”