Advocate Profile, Amy Necaise

One week before his 20 birthday, Amy Necaise’s son, Justin, awoke with a fever, nausea and vomiting. Thinking he had a stomach virus, Amy, a registered nurse, stayed home with him and gave him medication. A few hours later, Justin began complaining of abdominal cramping and developed bruising on his face and his extremities. Amy called 911 and requested an ambulance be sent immediately. Within 15 minutes of arriving at the hospital, however, Justin was gone. Until Justin’s death, Amy was not aware of meningococcal disease or that there is a vaccine available that could have helped prevent it.