Calvin's Pneumococcal Meningitis Journey
This page is to support Calvin and his parents Megan and Sam through Calvin's pneumococcal meningitis journey.
Auckland
Calvin has been in Starship PICU since Saturday 29 October fighting pneumococcal meningitis - he has undergone two brain surgeries to relieve swelling and pressure, and just recently has made a huge step in coming off his breathing support and moving to the neurology high dependency unit - must be the strong Dutch blood and Costco food in him!
Parents Sam and Megan have been absolute rocks for Calvin in his fight, and have an uncertain road ahead. At the moment it is really unknown what Calvin’s recovery is going to look like as he has suffered a brain injury.
Calvin is going to require extensive rehab and will require further ongoing neuro surgery. Any donations will go towards Sam, Megan and Calvin as they settle in to their new normal as a family.
For more information on meningitis visit: https://www.meningitis.org.nz/
Stephanie Harris' involvement (page creator)
Twin sister of Calvin's Dad - Sam.
Use of funds
Long term care and support for Calvin, household bills and expenses etc while parents can't work.
Latest update
Happy New Year from Sam, Megan and Calvin 3 January 2023
Happy New Years everyone - an update from Sam below.
"Well 2022 was a very challenging year that will never be forgotten. A lingering global pandemic, friends passing far too early and our Calvin contracting pneumococcal meningitis.
Whilst I could dwell on all the negatives, I sit here grateful that Calvin is still with us and is fighting hard and proving a lot of doctors wrong. He is a toughie and whilst we still have huge challenges and uncertainty ahead, we are at least able to smile, laugh, cry, kiss him before he goes to bed and when he wakes up in the morning.
The biggest kick in the teeth from all this is that the Pneumococcal Meningitis that he contracted was completely avoidable. In 2016 Pharmac cut funding for the PVC13 vaccine and replaced it with the PVC10 which Calvin (and any other baby since then) recieved during his immunisations. This was staunchly opposed by many doctors but Pharmac still decided changed it to save money. The meningitis strain that Calvin contracted was one of the 3 strains this newly adopted PVC10 vaccine did not protect against.
To further rub salt in the wound Pharmac decided to reinstate the PVC13 vaccine a mere 7 days after Calvin contracted it because there has been "a surge in deadly cases".
So if I can urge on thing to parents of young children and future parents.. please, please, please get the PVC13 vaccine. We don't want anyone to go through even a fraction of what we have had to.
It is free and available from your local GP. It is highly effective and proven to prevent this horrible disease. A 30 minute trip to the doctors is all it takes. We didn't have the option, but you do.
To anyone who donated to the Givealittle we can't thank you enough. The money is all going towards physio/occupational therapy to compliment the very limited amount we recieve from public Healthcare (don't get me started on this!)
And to those who visited, cooked us meals, sent a message and everything in between; it has meant more to us than words can express."
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