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Teen 2 Teen Meningitis Angels are Stomping Out Meningitis

Teen 2 Teen Meningitis Angels are Stomping Out Meningitis

Published 08-14-09

Submitted by Meningitis Angels

HOUSTON, Aug. 13 /CSRwire - PRNewswire - USNewswire/ - Dressed in camouflage and armed with the facts of disease and prevention, Meningitis Teen Angels (MA) launched their new national meningitis pre-teen and teen back-to-school campaign today: Stomping Out Meningitis. Meningitis Angels was founded in memory of Ryan Milley, who died at the age of 18 from meningococcemia, a severe infection of the bloodstream caused by the bacteria Neisseria meningitidis. This is the same bacteria which causes meningococcal meningitis.

According to Frankie Milley (Milley) the Founder and National Executive Director of Angels, this is the second campaign in a series that will educate pre-teens, teens and parents on the importance of immunizations to prevent not only bacterial meningitis but all vaccine preventable diseases.

Angels teamed with teen stompers sponsored by the Metro Health Department from Nashville Tennessee for this project.

The campaign consists of a new web-site www.stompingoutmeningitis.com, educational brochures, and videos of teens affected by meningitis. The web site host a student library on vaccine preventable diseases linked to the CDC website and eventually will host a teen blog, chat room and more.

Leslie Meigs, who serves as the Meningitis Angels (MA) National Teen Leader; Harley Beaty from Texas; Johnny D'Antona from North Carolina and Carye Wynn from New Jersey who are survivors, along with Angel family teens, Kylie Menard from Louisiana, the sister to Jane Menard who died and Lacey Lewis of Texas, cousin to Ryan Milley all participated in this amazing project. Each one has suffered various after affects of meningitis, including limb amputations, anemia, kidney transplant, migraine headaches learning disabilities, deafness, short term memory loss and the grief of losing a loved one.

Milley said, "It is important people realize college freshmen living in dorms are not the only ones at risk for meningococcal meningitis. According to experts the risk rate between those college freshmen living in dorms and those living off campus is only 4%. Infants, children and teens are also at risk. We need to follow the CDC/Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) age recommendations for meningococcal meningitis vaccination for ages 11 years through college freshmen age." Milley concluded, "We must work hard to insure we create policies that require this age group and infants to be fully immunized. Infants are not only susceptible to meningococcal meningitis but also haemophilus influenzae type B (HIB) and pneumococcal disease/meningitis. American Indian, Eskimo and African American children lead this age group for risk. Vaccines save lives."

To request interviews, to have Milley or Angels speak, or for more information on meningitis contact Milley at fmilley@aol.com or visit www.meningitis-angels.org.

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