Heather Tufano
Heather’s Story
Heather Tufano was an 18 year old freshman attending college in New York City when she contracted meningococcemia. Her symptoms began at 11 o’clock at night with fever, chills and pain in her joints, so extreme that she could not walk. By early the next morning a black and blue rash spread quickly all over her legs. She was immediately brought to the intensive care unit at a local hospital to find out she had a 5% chance of living that night.
Heather was in the hospital for 3 months and underwent roughly 8 surgeries, including the amputation of her right foot and 2 fingers. Once she left the hospital, Heather had to learn how to walk again by going to physical therapy for several months. Since she left the hospital in January of 2005, Heather returned to school and has now graduated college. She joined NMA to educate and create awareness about the signs and symptoms of meningococcal disease.
Shaquille Hodge, Danielle Hodge and Maritza GonzalesOne morning in 2018 during a family vacation, Shaquille’s wife Percilla, mother of three young children, including a newborn, awoke...Read More
John and Erin GrimesOne day during sophomore year of college, John began to feel symptoms similar to a sinus infection, though his symptoms...Read More
Nancy PerryBoth Connie and Nancy’s sons, Jackson and William, were both freshmen on the Bucknell University (Pennsylvania) crew team in the...Read More
Connie IngramConnie and Nancy’s sons, Jackson and William, were both freshmen on the Bucknell University (Pennsylvania) crew team in the fall...Read More