My sister was so lovely, and I have so many memories of her. I don't remember much as I was only eight at the time (she was 14), but what I do remember is enough to affect me.
She was poorly and my parents thought she just had flu, then one day my mum was in with her and she said to my mum that she wanted her headache to go and that she could not see my mum.
My mum rang an ambulance and the last thing I remember was seeing my sister being carried out on stretcher.
It was a sad time; I thought she would be OK but she passed away. I'm now 26 - it was a long time ago and they did not know much about meningitis at the time and they could not give a reason to what caused it. It may have been that she had been in the sea that summer and she picked something up from the sea water, it may have been that she had bumped her head at school.
Who knows? All I know that we must look forward and support the charities out there so they can find out these answers and find a cure and prevent it from happening and cure those who may get it.
My love goes out to all those who have lost and to all those who have fought it and their families.
CASSIE FORSTER
OCTOBER 2009