About us

Protecting lives, supporting people, defeating meningitis since 1989. 

Meningitis Research Foundation is an international health charity headquartered in the UK, driven by a passionate mission to prevent the devastating impact of meningitis.  

Founded by individuals whose lives were profoundly affected by meningitis, we are dedicated to enabling positive change by uniting people and knowledge to save lives.  

The Confederation of Meningitis Organisations (CoMO) is our worldwide network of people and groups who are driven by a shared purpose to defeat meningitis. By coming together to share their diverse experience and expertise, they are a formidable global force against this life-threatening condition. 

Our vision 

Our vision is of a world free from meningitis.  

“By 2030 we want to see meningitis defeated. This means reducing new cases of meningitis by 50%. Reducing deaths by 70%. Ending epidemics. Ensuring people get the support and aftercare they need. It is a highly ambitious aim, but one that we and our partners in this work think is achievable.” 

Vinny Smith, Chief Executive, Meningitis Research Foundation 

Our work 

There are four core strands of our work that will allow us to realise our vision. 

Research for evidence-based action 

We support research because it is the evidence needed for decisive action. 

We fund research projects to drive the breakthrough science that will help defeat meningitis. Since we were founded in 1989, we have awarded 160+ research grants, investing over £19.5 million in vital scientific research. 

Campaigning and advocacy 

Our campaigns make sure people know about the threat of meningitis, helping communities around the world stay safe from the disease.  

Our advocacy work is crucial to making meningitis a global health priority. We put the stories of people affected by the disease in front of those who make decisions about our healthcare, representing their interests in all we do. We seize every opportunity to amplify the voices that matter. 

A community of fundraisers 

Fundraising is the glue that holds together all our work to defeat meningitis. 

Over the last decade, our community of fundraisers have raised over £17 million, which means we can continuously invest in defeating meningitis. 

But beyond this, fundraising is a powerful way for people to take action in the face of tragedy and heartache. Many of our fundraisers have had a life-changing experience of meningitis, and by supporting Meningitis Research Foundation, they can leave a legacy for those they have lost.  

In sharing fundraising adventures and experiences, they join a community of people who truly understand the impact of meningitis.  

Supporting lives affected by meningitis 

Every day, Meningitis Research Foundation answers questions and offers compassionate support so no one affected by meningitis is alone.  

We provide emotional support, as well as connecting people to our Medical Advisory Group when they need specialised guidance. This group of leading clinicians have an in-depth knowledge of meningitis and help meningitis patients and their families make informed healthcare decisions.  

We believe in a comprehensive wrap-around approach to support and we’re available whenever and however people need help, whether that’s on the phone, via social media, or over email (to name just a few).  

Our website can be accessed at any time and includes a wealth of information about meningitis, from symptoms to treatment to follow-up care. It is kept up to date with the latest evidence and research and has been reviewed by people who have been personally affected by meningitis, to make sure it works for those who need it most. 

Our impact 

We’re immensely proud of the impact we’ve had on the prevention of meningitis and support of those whose lives are affected by it.  

• We have developed the Meningitis Progress Tracker, which brings together multiple data sources on meningitis into one central, open-access hub. Through our continual investment, it is evolving into a powerful tool for advocacy across the world. 

• In 2011, we commissioned the world’s first Meningococcal Genome Library, then funded the establishment of a Global Meningitis Genome Library. Genomics is an important strand of our research activity. We have collaborated with leading experts to establish a Global Meningitis Genome Partnership, which encourages and enables worldwide co-ordination of activity in identifying strains, controlling epidemics, and vaccine evaluation and development. 

• We’ve led research on the lifelong impact of meningitis. Our “Counting the costs” analysis revealed the lifelong financial burden of surviving meningitis, giving health policymakers in the UK the evidence needed to support wide and early implementation of vaccines. 

• CoMO has more than 140 members in over 50 countries and equipping them for success is our primary purpose. We arm them with the most effective tools and evidence for campaigning and advocacy and invite them to come together and collaborate at our annual member conference. 

• We have developed a group of Ambassadors who have a genuine connection to meningitis. They are living testaments of our support ethos, sharing their individual experiences through talks, presentations and media interviews to help society understand why defeating meningitis matters. 

Our values   

• We are evidence led  

• We operate with integrity  

• We pursue our goals with determination 

• We are a passionate advocate 

• We collaborate to make progress 

• We act with compassion 

Our people 

The work of Meningitis Research Foundation and CoMO is possible because of our team of passionate employees, ambassadors, members and fundraisers. 

Learn about our senior management team 

Meet our Ambassadors 

Meet our CoMO team 

Discover fundraising events