Advocate Profile, Charlotte and Harvey Hodges

Michael, Charlotte’s step-son and Harvey’s son, woke up one morning with a severe headache. He went to see his doctor, who performed a CAT scan and diagnosed him with a sinus infection. Later that afternoon, Michael became incoherent and his sister called the paramedics. Michael was admitted to the hospital.

Two days later, Charlotte and Harvey were told by doctors that Michael had suffered severe brain damage and that he would live with several lifelong complications if he survived. The next day, they made the difficult decision to take Michael off life support. It was then that Charlotte and Harvey learned that Michael had contracted meningococcal disease, a serious but vaccine-preventable bacterial infection.