“Two hours later and I would have died”: Cambridgeshire woman praises lifesaving medics

A young patient from Benwick has personally thanked the medics credited by doctors for saving her life after she contracted bacterial meningitis.

Hollie Jackson, 22, of Lilyholt Road collapsed at Stansted Airport on 4^th January minutes before stepping onto a plane for a work trip. She said: “I had a pain in my leg and my head was a little sensitive to light but I thought nothing of it.”

She was assessed and sent to Peterborough City Hospital on recommendation from medics at the airport before being discharged as all her test results had come back clear.

Unfortunately Hollie’s condition deteriorated rapidly when she arrived home, with her left side going completely numb. She was vomiting, and developed a rash all over her body.

Hollie said: “By 4am my vision started to go and the pain in my head was unbearable, it felt like a kettle was being brought to the boil in my skull.”

Her mum Wendy dialled 111 before an ambulance from the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EEAST) was sent to her aid.

When Senior Paramedic Greg Sage and Emergency Medical Technician Matt Bafico arrived they knew immediately something wasn’t right. Greg said: “It was evident that Hollie was extremely sick; she ticked all the boxes for meningitis.”

Greg intravenously administered penicillin which doctors later said gave Hollie the crucial time she needed to get to hospital alive. She remained at Peterborough City Hospital for eight days in intensive care before being sent home.

And this week (Thursday, 27^th April) Hollie was able to thank Greg in person at Peterborough ambulance station. She said: “It was lovely to meet Greg under much happier circumstances and thank him; the doctors said that if I had left it two hours later I would have died, which took a few weeks to sink in. It is clear to see that the choices both he and Matt made on that day saved my life.”

Greg said: “It is wonderful to see her looking so well, and to find out that we played a major part in saving Hollie’s life means so much to us.”

Hollie has since gone on to make a good recovery and recently raised almost £1,500 in a charity sky dive for the Meningitis Now charity. You can still donate by visiting https://www.everyclick.com/hollyjackson4meningitis