Meningitis Stories and Advocacy with Patti and Alicia

Patti Wukovits and Alicia Stillman, two mothers who each lost their young, healthy daughters too soon to a now vaccine-preventable disease, Meningitis B (known as MenB). High school senior Kimberly (Patti’s daughter), 17, died one week before her graduation. College sophomore Emily (Alicia’s daughter), 19, died just 36 hours after her first symptoms. Both Kimberly and Emily had received the MenACWY vaccine, the MenB vaccine was not yet available to help protect them from MenB.

 

In 2014, to educate the public about meningococcal meningitis and MenB vaccination, Patti and Alicia each established their own foundations named after their daughters. Both mothers have since joined forces under the Meningitis B Action Project to make sure other parents don’t needlessly suffer the same fate.

 

The objective of the Meningitis B Action Project is to:

1. Empower young adults (and their parents) with information to talk to their healthcare provider about Meningitis B and the vaccine that can help prevent it.
2. Encourage healthcare providers to discuss Meningitis B and the MenB vaccine with their patients.
3. Increase awareness of Meningitis B on high school, college and university campuses
4. Engage policymakers to ensure broader access to the MenB vaccine.

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Guest details: 

Patti Wukovits: https://www.ambiguouslyblind.com/guests/patti-wukovits/

Alicia Stillman: https://www.ambiguouslyblind.com/guests/alicia-stillman/

Meningitis B Action Project: https://meningitisbactionproject.org/ 

The Kimberly Coffey Foundation: https://www.kimberlycoffeyfoundation.org/ 

The Emily Stillman Foundation: https://www.foreveremily.org/