Stevenage’s Charlotte Kearney, who almost lost her dad to sepsis and meningitis, is running the 2019 London Marathon in aid of the Meningitis Research Foundation.
Her dad Bill Kearney, also from the town, nearly lost his life in February 2017 when he contracted the meningococcal bacteraemia.
The blood poisoning disease caused by the bacteria took hold so quickly that, despite feeling fine one morning, Bill was fighting for his life less than 24 hours later.
Speaking to the Comet in August 2017, he said: “It was Monday, February 21, and I had been at work as normal, but when I got back home, I began to start feeling like I was coming down with something.
“But less than 24 hours later I was fighting for my life.”
After the intervention of staff at Lister Hospital he was able to return home on March 6 and has been in good health since.
Charlotte has hit her target of money raised, at £2,000, for the Meningitis Research Foundation – but hopes she can increase that further before Sunday. “The more the merrier,” she told the Comet.
To donate visit: uk.virginmoneygiving.com/CharKearneyLM2019.
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