I was nineteen years old when I became ill with meningococcal septicaemia within six weeks of starting university.
It started when I woke up in the night vomiting non-stop. I went to A&E where my condition suddenly deteriorated – I collapsed and had a 40 degree fever. Doctors tried to cool me down by surrounding me with fans and ice packs. I was put into an induced coma for two weeks and taken to intensive care.
After I woke from my coma, I had both my legs amputated below the knee, most of my fingers amputated and had to have skin grafting. I now use prosthetic legs to walk with.
In 2023, I was fortunate enough to get a hand transplant – I was only the ninth person in the UK to have this procedure. The twelve-hour operation was a success, and I can now do most things with my right hand, including cooking, drawing and doing my makeup.
I am now completing my medical studies so that I can give back to the healthcare system that helped me so much.
You can watch Becca’s story on TikTok here:
https://vm.tiktok.com/ZGdUVxxQ2/