These Photos Tell the Story of a Rare, Preventable Disease That Needs Your Attention

Meningococcal disease, or meningitis, is a sudden bacterial infection that affects the brain, spinal cord and blood stream. If not treated quickly, it can result in brain damage, hearing loss, loss of limb and sometimes death. Infants and children are most susceptible to the infection, and although antibiotics can treat the disease, there’s a 10 percent mortality rate.

Photographer Anne Geddes partnered with the Confederation of Meningitis Organisations Inc. and Novartis Vaccines to create the “Protecting Our Tomorrows: Portraits of Meningococcal Disease,” a global awareness project that aims to raise awareness about this preventable disease. The photo campaign started in 2014 and includes 15 meningitis survivors around the world.

“Protecting Our Tomorrows is a campaign I’m honored to be part of and is what I consider to be one of my most important projects to date,” Geddes told The Mighty in an email.

These portraits provide an intimate look into the lives of young survivors. Many subjects have lost limbs to the disease, but these photographs celebrate their strengths rather then their losses.

“Meeting these children and their families allowed me to see and understand firsthand the profound impact meningococcal disease can potentially have on our lives,” Geddes told The Mighty. “Each photo shoot was memorable because each [person’s] story was so very powerful.”

Participants included Jamie Schanbaum (above), a sophomore at the University of Texas- Austin, who contracted meningococcal septicemia while in college. She lost her legs and hands to the disease. Jaime now advocates for meningitis education and prevention. She pushed for the passage of the Jamie Schanbaum Act in 2009 that requires all college students in Texas to receive a meningitis vaccine. Jamie also shows her determination to succeed through cycling. In 2011, she won the gold medal in the USA Cycling Paralympic National Championship.

“Protecting Our Tomorrows is aimed at empowering parents to ask their pediatricians about the threat of meningococcal disease and about current vaccination options to help protect their children,” Geddes told The Mighty. “I hope to further extend the reach of these images to inspire more families around the world to be vigilant and understand the importance of meningococcal disease prevention through vaccination.”

The photos from the Protecting Our Tomorrows Campaign are available online and on iBook.

Want to celebrate the human spirit? Like us on Facebook.

And sign up for what we hope will be your favorite thing to read at night.