A 23-year-old woman from Gold Coast, Australia, Bella Fidler, died from meningitis after having a girl’s trip to Bali. Bella Fidler informed her parents she didn’t “feel right” after returning from a vacation in Bali, where she celebrated obtaining her law degree before passing away unexpectedly from a preventable illness.
Last December, the 23-year-old was admitted to Gold Coast Hospital with flu-like symptoms and a COVID-19 suspicion before swiftly deteriorating into critical condition. Bella Fidler believed she had Covid-19, but it was sadly too late to save her when it was determined that she had a fatal type of meningitis.
The parents of Ms Fidler are currently advocating for expanding access to a meningococcal B meningitis vaccination. The fluid and membranes around the brain and spinal cord become infected and swollen during meningitis. In some cases, bacterial meningitis, in particular, can swiftly kill us if left untreated.
“Bella was one of the most beautiful girls on the outside, but she also had the kindest soul on the inside,” Ms Fidler’s father stated in a publication for the Meningitis Centre Australia.
She had just finished her undergraduate studies for a bachelor of law and a Bachelor of Government and international relations.
“2023 was supposed to be the year she began having the influence on the world that she had always envisioned,” according to her father.
Sadly, Bella Fidler was unable to attend her graduation.
“To commemorate finishing her studies, Ms Fidler took a girls’ trip to the Indonesian island in December last year,” Mr Findler explained.
She subsequently complained of having a fever, but it subsided when she took painkillers. Although initially feeling better, she awakened her parents at 1.30 am and said, “I just don’t feel right.”
According to Mr Fidler, there were no “classic meningitis signs” like a stiff neck, rashes, or headache. She was urgently taken to a hospital in Tugun near Gold Coast Airport. She quickly fell into a grave condition after arriving, and doctors finally determined that she had bacterial meningitis. She suffered a seizure and lost consciousness after it. When a diagnosis is obtained, it’s often too late to prevent significant brain damage, limb loss, or death, as is the situation for many other meningococcal infections.
“Within hours, the devastating news that Bella had suffered extensive brain damage and was not expected to survive shattered our lives.” Mr Findler explained
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