ASMP In Action
Latest News & Activities
We are all about action here at the American Society for Meningitis Prevention. Below you can read all about our latest initiatives and activities to help prevent meningococcal meningitis. All activities before 2024 were conducted under the Meningitis B Action Project.
2024
Presenting on Meningococcal Meningitis Prevention to Legislators
Connected with Infectious Disease Experts at IDWeek 2024
October 16-19, 2024
We joined over 10,000 healthcare providers, researchers, educators, and public health officials at IDWeek 2024 in Los Angeles, California, to share the importance of preventing meningococcal meningitis.
Vaccinating Kids and Raising Awareness at Vive Tu Vida in Huntington Park!
October 11, 2024
Alicia Stillman presented at the Women In Government Leadership & Innovation Summit in Charlotte, NC, on the topic of “Enhancing Meningococcal Vaccine Awareness: Closing Immunization Gaps to Improve Prevention” to a variety of women legislators. We were honored to share our expertise on the topic through this forum to help increase vaccination rates and foster resilient communities.
We had an amazing time at the Vive Tu Vida community health fair in Huntington Park, CA where we had the opportunity to talk to many parents, grandparents, and adolescents and even got several teenagers vaccinated against meningococcal disease (thanks to Walgreens!). A big thank you to MAOF Comunidad for inviting us, and to the National Alliance for Hispanic Health and Siemens for supporting such a successful and important event!
November 15, 2024
American Society for Meningitis Prevention Lights Up Locations in 37 States for World Meningitis Day
October 4, 2024
Shared Perspectives on the Evolving Meningitis Prevention Landscape at NIC 2024
August 12-14, 2024
We traveled to Atlanta to exhibit and present our latest research on the evolving meningitis prevention landscape at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s annual National Immunization Conference (NIC). During our poster presentation, we shared our latest research, which aimed to understand the impact of implementing potential changes to meningococcal vaccine recommendations at the state, clinical, and school levels.
Presented to Fellow Immunization Advocates
Summer 2024
During the summer of 2024, we had the pleasure of sharing the importance of meningococcal meningitis prevention with fellow advocates and immunization professionals, including the National Alliance for Hispanic Health and Vaccinate Your Family’s Vaccination Collaborative.
Kimberly and Emily’s Story Featured in New Episode of NP Pulse
June 25, 2024
We had a great time collaborating with the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) and immunization leaders Dr. Mary Beth Koslap-Petraco and Dr. Ruth Carrico on this valuable learning opportunity to help nurse practitioners understand the complexities of meningococcal meningitis and navigate the array of vaccines available to protect against serogroups A-B-C-W-Y. Listen to the podcast →
Presented at the Annual West Virginia Infectious Disease and Immunization Summit
June 14, 2024
Connecting with Fellow CoMO Members in London
June 7, 2024
Patti and Alicia traveled to West Virginia to present an overview of meningococcal meningitis and the meningitis vaccination landscape to 200+ West Virginians interested in protecting their communities from vaccine-preventable diseases. A big thank you to The Center for Rural Health Development, Inc. for organizing this insightful event.
While in London, our co-executive director, Patti, had the opportunity to connect with fellow Confederation of Meningitis Organisations (CoMO) members – Laura Ross (Meningitis Research Foundation/CoMO) and Dr. Tom Nutt (Meningitis Now). It was great to learn more about the meningitis prevention landscape in the UK and share best practices to help enhance our collective efforts to defeat meningitis by 2030.
Prioritizing the Health of College Students
May 29-31, 2024
We were one of the 80+ vendors who participated in the American College Health Association annual conference this year in Atlanta, Georgia. We even had the pleasure of discussing the importance of meningitis prevention with CEO, James Wilkinson.
Collaborating for Meningitis Prevention
May 30, 2024
We had the privilege of meeting fellow Confederation of Meningitis Organisations member Laprice Franklin and her son of The Latisha Marie Foundation to learn more about her Foundation and its work to prevent meningitis in honor and memory of her sister, Latisha. In addition to learning more about each other’s work, we even had time to kickstart our World Meningitis Day planning for the Americas!
Presented at World’s First High-Level Meeting on Defeating Meningitis
April 26, 2024
The World Health Organization convened delegates from across the globe to hold the first high-level meeting to defeat meningitis at the Institut Pasteur in France on Friday, April 26, 2024. Our co-executive director, Alicia Stillman, had the opportunity to present her personal experience and our work. Learn more about this important milestone.
Preventing Meningitis from Denver and Philadelphia
Spring 2024
In March 2024, we participated in the National Conference on Pediatric Health Care in Denver, Colorado, where we were among over 1,200 attendees dedicated to advancing their practice and careers in the field. Following this event, we journeyed to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where we engaged with hundreds of immunization coalitions and partners at the National Conference for Immunization Coalitions and Partnerships (NCICP). We even ran into our Medical Council member, Dr. Mary Beth Koslap-Petraco!
American Society for Meningitis Prevention Launches
The Meningitis B Action Project, a leading nationwide initiative founded in 2017 to prevent Meningitis B, proudly announces it will transform into the American Society for Meningitis Prevention (ASMP). This evolution reflects our broader mission and continued commitment to preventing all types of meningococcal meningitis.
March 7, 2024
In recognition of World Meningitis Day on October 5, the American Society for Meningitis Prevention is lighting up 55 landmarks and homes in 37 states across the country to raise awareness about meningococcal meningitis.
Getting a Head Start on World Meningitis Day
October 3, 2024
Patti and Alicia each participated in various TV and radio interviews ahead of World Meningitis Day. ASMP Medical Council member Dr. Mary Beth Koslap-Petraco also shared her expertise during some of the segments. Interviews included:
Television hits
CNN Newsource (National)
WLNYSD (New York, NY)
KOMO (Seattle-Tacoma, WA)
KUNS (Seattle-Tacoma, WA)
WWL (New Orleans, LA)
WWL (separate airing) (New Orleans, LA)
WJAR (Providence-New Bedford, RI-MA)
WCSC (Charleston, SC)
Radio hits
Go To Health Podcast (National)
iheart.com (National)
WCK-FM (Birmingham-Anniston-Tuscaloosa, AL)
Online hits
MSN (National)
CBS News (National)
CBS News 12 (New York, NY)
WWL-TV (New Orleans, LA)
WJAR (Providence-New Bedford, RI-MA)
2023
Meningitis Advocacy Training in New Rochelle, New York
October 10-11, 2023
The Meningitis B Action Project, a leading nationwide initiative founded in 2017 to prevent Meningitis B, proudly announces it will transform into the American Society for Meningitis Prevention (ASMP). This evolution reflects our broader mission and continued commitment to preventing all types of meningococcal meningitis.
World Meningitis Day 2023
October 5, 2023
To help navigate the changing meningitis prevention landscape, we convened 200+ advocates and healthcare providers on World Meningitis Day (WMD) for an update on the latest issues affecting meningitis vaccination and how we can best prepare for the road ahead. Watch the webinar.
AAP: Meningococcal Disease in Preteens, Teens & Young Adults
August 1, 2023
Patti and Alicia shared their experience with Meningitis B with fellow parents in a recent publication on healthychildren.org from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
This piece is a great resource to share with parents as a one-stop shop on how to protect against meningococcal disease.
New Podcast Episode: Meningitis Stories and Advocacy with Patti and Alicia
March 28, 2023
Co-founders, Patti and Alicia, were recently guests on the Ambiguously Blind podcast where they discussed their experience with meningitis advocacy in honor and memory of each of their daughters – Kimberly Coffey and Emily Stillman – who both lost their lives to Meningitis B before the MenB vaccine was available in the U.S. to help protect them.
Promoting Adolescent Health at SAHM 2023
March 7-10, 2023
We traveled to Chicago to attend the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine (SAHM) annual meeting. We had the opportunity to educate many people working to improve the health and well-being of adolescents and young adults about meningococcal disease and how it can be prevented.
Meningitis B Action Project Dinner Club Launched in Salt Lake City, Utah!
January 26, 2023
We believe the best conversations happen over a delicious meal! That’s why we’ve launched the Meningitis B Action Project Dinner Club. The Dinner Club is designed to encourage an open discussion about barriers to meningococcal meningitis prevention and how we can work together to overcome those challenges. Our first stop was Salt Lake City, Utah! Not only did we have the privilege to hear and discuss with leading advocates in the space, but we left with tangible insights on how to best tailor our advocacy and education work in Utah. Thank you to the Utah Department of Health and Human Services, Utah Public Health Association, BYU Nursing School, Utah Health Policy Project, Utah Adult Immunization Coalition, Utah County Immunization Coalition, Association for Utah Community Health, and Utah Medical Association. Next up, Massachusetts!
2022
Meningitis B College Tour Kicked Off in California
October 11, 2022
We kicked off our Meningitis B College Tour at the University of California, Riverside Health Center where we had the chance to connect with health center staff and students to highlight why Meningitis B prevention is especially important on college campuses!
Presenting and Exhibiting at AAP
October, 2022
This month we had the opportunity to exhibit and present our work at the American Academy of Pediatrics annual meeting to help make sure all pediatricians are talking to their patients about the Meningitis B vaccine!
Responding to the Current MenC Outbreak and MenB Cluster in Florida: A Policy-Focused Educational Webinar
June 28, 2022
The Meningitis B Action Project recently partnered with The AIDS Institute to host a policy-focused educational webinar on meningococcal meningitis in response to the current MenC outbreak and MenB cluster in Florida. The webinar targeted policymakers and HCPs to emphasize the urgency of more education among affected communities, including Men Who Have Sex With Men (MSM), and the short- and long-term value of meningococcal meningitis vaccination requirements for both MenACWY and MenB to control and prevent future outbreaks. It featured a medical overview, personal stories, and a policy case study from the Indiana Immunization Coalition.
Listen here and please contact us if you’d like to host a similar webinar in your state.
Meningococcal Vaccination Algorithm for Providers Now Available
June 2, 2022
Recent studies have shown that the current ACIP recommendations for meningitis vaccinations are not always fully understood or applied consistently by healthcare providers. For that reason, the Meningitis B Action Project has developed an easy-to-reference algorithm to facilitate meningococcal vaccination in clinical practice.
This resource was developed by the Meningitis B Action Project. All information included has been reviewed by the Meningitis B Action Project medical council.
Helping to Protect the Modern Teen: A Panel Discussion
May 12, 2022
As a mother who lost her daughter, Kimberly, to Meningitis B, Patti was honored to share Kim’s story at the Ask2BSure MAMARAZZI Event with The MOMS and Soleil Moon Frye in Hollywood.
Patti was joined by fellow panelists to highlight the importance of ensuring teens are protected and prepared throughout their teenage years.
During this event, Patti was able to emphasize the importance of talking to your teen’s healthcare provider about both types of meningitis vaccines — MenACWY and MenB — with hundreds of mothers from across the country.
To learn more about how to protect your teen, watch the full event here.
Philadelphia Immunization Coalition: Spring 2022 Conference
May 11, 2022
To help get patients back on track with routine vaccinations we shared the importance of preventing Meningitis B in young adults as well as some of our newly created resources including our Meningitis B Student Hub and Meningitis Algorithm with 120+ attendees at the Spring 2022 Philadelphia Immunization Coalition.
Launched Meningitis B Student Hub
February 9, 2022
The new Meningitis B Student Hub was specifically designed for peer health educators and students with simple key messages to help explain the disease, educational materials for download, sample presentations, and even inspirational podcasts from other peer health educators across the country. It also includes ideas for activating a Meningitis B education campaign on campus and suggestions for engaging student health centers and college administrators to advocate for better Meningitis B prevention measures on campus.
2021
Ask2BSure A Public Health Awareness Campaign
Fall 2021
GSK launched Ask2BSure to encourage parents to talk with their child’s healthcare provider to be sure they have received their Meningitis B vaccination. GSK has pledged to donate $1 for every unique view of the campaign video (up to $10,000) to the Meningitis B Action Project!
National Association of School Nurses Lunch & Learn
September 30, 2021
Today we had the opportunity to speak to the National Association of School Nurses along with Alex Singer from VaxTeen on improving adolescent vaccination rates - including #MeningitisB!
School nurses are our front line to reaching students and their parents, and making sure they have the resources and insights to do so is incredibly important.
Back to School Media Tour
August 23, 2021
To promote the importance of adolescent immunizations, Dr. Tamera Coyne-Beasley, Endowed Chair, Adolescent Medicine – University of Alabama Birmingham, joined us to speak with 28 television and radio stations. We were able to reach 5 million+ people across the country and counting. Check out this short video highlighting some of our interviews.
MenB Action Project on AANP Podcast: NP Pulse: The Voice of the Nurse Practitioner®
August 11, 2021
Nurse practitioners Audrey Stevenson and our medical council member, Mary Beth Koslap-Petraco, spoke with Patti and Alicia to discuss all things Meningitis B on the official podcast of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners: NP Pulse: The Voice of the Nurse Practitioner®. They covered everything from strategies to support shared clinical decision-making in clinical practice to the power of sharing personal anecdotes to support young adults and their parents in opting for the MenB vaccine. Available here https://www.aanp.org/podcast and on all other podcast platforms.
Our Latest Initiative: Families Against
COVID-19
May 11, 2021
After each losing our daughters to Meningitis B, a vaccine-preventable disease, we know very well why vaccination is so critical. Although the MenB vaccine is available today, it wasn’t yet available to protect Kim and Emily when they passed away. Today, we all have a chance to protect ourselves, our families, and our communities from COVID-19 by getting the COVID-19 vaccine.
That is why we’ve joined together with other families to leave no stone unturned when it comes to educating communities about COVID-19 prevention and the COVID-19 vaccine. To help us do that, we’ve launched a new joint initiative called Families Against COVID-19.
World Meningitis Day 2021: Radio Media Tour
April 24, 2021
Patti and Alicia began World Meningitis Day by speaking with 25 radio stations throughout the country to share why Meningitis B vaccination is so important with over 44.3 million people!
World Meningitis Day 2021: Day of Action
April 24, 2021
The Meningitis B Action Project facilitated its 3rd Annual Day of Action Against Meningitis B on World Meningitis Day. Together, with their B-team, they were able to accomplish advocacy actions in 26 states to help increase awareness of Meningitis B and how it can be prevented.
We also partnered with 10 organizations to carry out a social media channel takeover which enabled us to educate and reach new audiences!
A Campaign to Get Needles in College Students’ Arms
March 24, 2021
We spoke with The Chronicle of Higher Education to highlight the importance of colleges and universities requiring the Meningitis B vaccine on campus to protect students–especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Featured in Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Vaccine Newsletter
March 9, 2021
Patti and Alicia were interviewed by the Vaccine Education Center at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and shared their stories and strategies to help parents ensure their children are as protected as possible from meningococcal disease. Their interview was included in the March Edition of their Parents PACK newsletter which reaches over 43,000 parents!
Check out the interview here.