Meningitis in your words

Caroline Roberts' story

  • Location: Wales
  • Categories: Bacterial meningitis
  • Age: Adult 25-59
  • Relationship: Brother or Sister
  • Outcome: Bereavement
Caroline Roberts

Caroline was a talented secondary school music teacher who loved her family and friends.

On November 29th 2016 she was playing the piano for the opening night of her school production of Oliver where she was the musical director. Her enthusiasm for music was infectious and after the first performance she was so excited that it had been an outstanding evening.

I spoke to her that evening and she said she was really tired and had a really bad earache so was going straight to bed. That was the last time I spoke to my little sister.

Wednesday she failed to turn up to school and when her partner arrived home from work that evening he found her on the floor in the hall unconscious. He immediately phoned an ambulance.

I arrived at the hospital just before the ambulance and saw her being taken into A&E and realised that she was very ill. The doctors spoke to us and told us that she needed surgery to try to reduce the swelling in her brain. She was rushed from Morriston Hospital to the Heath in Cardiff where she was taken into surgery.

At this point my father, her partner and I were told that she was very unlikely to survive the surgery. Caroline was a fighter (and stubborn) and was taken to intensive care where she was treated for bacterial meningitis. She never regained consciousness and passed away on Christmas Eve 2016.

"It has been almost 2 years since I lost my little sister, my dad lost his youngest daughter and my boys lost their auntie Car and not a day goes by when she is not in my thoughts."

It has been almost 2 years since I lost my little sister, my dad lost his youngest daughter and my boys lost their auntie Car and not a day goes by when she is not in my thoughts. We miss her every day❤

Ceri Owen
November 2018

Sadly people die of meningitis and sepsis every year, leaving families and communities devastated. We are here for you.

Grief impacts people differently, and everyone has their own ways of coping. Our Support Service team are trained to support people on their bereavement journeys. We can help you find the right services and support for you and your family through this time.

Stories that inspire us to create a world free from the diseases.
Meningitis and septicaemia can kill in hours - know the symptoms.

Meningitis Research Foundation are here to support you through your grief journey. Learn more about our Support Services, team and what we can offer

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The MRF Membership and Support team are here for you for any questions you might have about meningitis and septicaemia and their effects on you, or your family and friends.

Tel: Helpline UK 080 8800 3344 Ireland 1800 41 33 44