The woman who got Meningitis twice raising awareness during Kent outbreak
A Sheffield woman left profoundly deaf by meningitis says she’s “the happiest she’s ever felt” after turning her life around – as Kent is hit by a deadly new outbreak.
Last updated 21 hours ago
Olivia Griffiths, was working as a secondary school teacher when she first contracted pneumococcal meningitis in 2022, at age 27.
At the time, Olivia was thriving in her career but under continued stress.
After suffering a severe headache and neck pain, she was rushed to hospital, placed in intensive care, and her family were told to prepare for the worst.
The infection left her permanently deaf, battling chronic fatigue and migraines.
“I was told I’d probably picked it up at work due to a low immune system - so I was susceptible to getting a lot of illnesses.” Olivia remembers.
Doctors also told Olivia that, due to her working around children - she could've picked up the disease from school, along side her already low immune system
"At the time that I was suffering with the disease in hospital - there was a question around whether id actually make it."
Olivia’s journey became even tougher when she contracted meningitis for a second time in 2024.
The illness brought back all her symptoms, alongside depression, anxiety and PTSD.
Eventually, she left teaching behind to focus on her health.
Determined not to be defined by the disease, Olivia decided to turn her experience into something positive. She retrained as a pilates instructor and nutrition coach, setting up her own business to help others benefit from movement, strength and healthy eating.
“Straight after my first class, everything clicked. I felt refreshed, relaxed, and clear-headed,” she says.
Olivia is now gearing up to run the London Marathon for meningitis in 2026, all in aid of The Meningitis Research foundation.
For Olivia, fundraising for the charity is personal - she says MRF supported her through the most difficult moments of her life, not once but twice.
"I want people to know that there is still hope,” she says. “There really is a light at the end of the tunnel.”
Olivia told us how Meningitis Research Foundation Uk helped to support her when she thought there was no hope left.
Her story comes as Kent is in the spotlight after a deadly meningitis outbreak.
Thirteen people in the Canterbury area have been diagnosed and two have died – including a University of Kent student and a sixth former at Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School in Faversham.
Students have queued for antibiotics in scenes some have described as “Covid-esque,” as health teams race to contain the spread.
Olivia hopes that her story can bring awareness to an illness that many people know so little about.
"Listen to your body and trust your gut." She says.
You can donate to Olivia's marathon run here on her Just Giving page.