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A father climbed Mount Kilimanjaro while wearing a special vest that weighed 20kg (44lbs) to represent his son’s weight in a bid to raise awareness about meningitis. <\/p>\n
James’s son, George, was diagnosed with bacterial meningitis at three years old and spent several days in intensive care before having a seizure and losing his hearing.<\/p>\n
The family, from Leicestershire, want to raise money for meningitis research and, in the process, make people aware of the warning signs before diagnosis.<\/p>\n
He said: “I think people know about the disease but don’t have a clue about the symptoms.<\/p>\n
“If one parent takes the time to Google the symptoms, maybe we can prevent more children from becoming seriously ill.”<\/p>\n
Claire Wright, head of evidence and policy at Meningitis Research Foundation, said: “Meningitis is difficult to spot and hard to distinguish from other common illnesses like flu or Covid in the early stages.<\/p>\n
“It’s important to know that temperatures can fluctuate and a rash won’t always appear.<\/p>\n
“Not everyone gets all the symptoms and they can appear in any order. Always trust your instincts and seek urgent medical advice if you have any concerns.”<\/p>\n
Video journalist: Chris Waring<\/i><\/p>\n
Follow BBC East Midlands on <\/i>Facebook<\/a>, <\/i>Twitter<\/a>, or <\/i>Instagram<\/a>. Send your story ideas to <\/i>eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk<\/a>.<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n