The father of an 18-year-old girl who died following an outbreak of meningitis in Kent has revealed how her condition deteriorated just hours after contracting the disease.
Juliette Kenny died on Saturday, March 14, one day after first showing symptoms of the deadly bug which has swept across the country, with cases confirmed in several towns in Kent and London.
The year 13 student at Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School in Faversham had been ‘fit, healthy and strong’ before her death and had completed the practical assessment for her PE A-level on Thursday, March 12.
Her father Michael Kenny first became aware that his daughter was ill when she vomited in the early hours of Friday, March 13.
‘In the morning on Friday, she was taken, by us, to our local emergency drop-in as a discolouration appeared on her cheeks,’ Mr Kenny said.
The teen was not showing any other symptoms at the time and was given antibiotics before being taken to A&E in an ambulance.
‘Juliette fought bravely for hours, but despite the fantastic NHS hospital staff fighting alongside her, meningitis took her from us less than 12 hours later,’ Mr Kenny added.
‘We were with her at the end, and the last sounds that she heard were the voices of those who loved her telling her how very much loved and cherished she is.’
Mr Kenny described his daughter as having ‘beautifully positive energy’, adding the ‘devastation’ of her death is ‘immeasurable’ and something ‘no family should experience’.
+11
View gallery
Juliette Kenny, 18, died on Saturday surrounded by her family after falling victim to the deadly bug which has swept through several towns in Kent
+11
View gallery
Juliette with her father Michael, 46, mother Rebecca, 49, and older sister Florence, 20. The family described her loss as ‘devastating’
TRENDING
CCTV shows final moments of TOWIE star Jordan Wright in Thailand
19k viewing now
RICHARD EDEN: Troubling Harry and Meghan whispers from the palace
54.7k viewing now
Kemi accuses Starmer of ‘sucking up’ to Muslims in public prayers row
10.3k viewing now
In a statement, Mr Kenny said: ‘We are incredibly proud parents to two wonderful daughters.
‘Juliette is a force in this world. With her beautifully positive energy she spread fun, love and happiness to those around her and she continues to do so now.
‘The devastation of her loss to us, her family and friends is immeasurable.
‘Sharing stories of the empathy, warmth and fun that she created is helping her family and friends through at this time. Her energy continues to make the people who love her find a way.
Read More
The Morning Poll: Should all teenagers be given the meningitis B vaccine?
‘The illness took her from us so quickly.’
Juliette’s heartbroken grandmother Linda Kenny also told the Daily Mail: ‘I just can’t bring myself to say anything otherwise I will cry.
‘We are all on antibiotics because we were with Juliette in hospital when she passed away.’
Along with the Meningitis Research Foundation, Mr Kenny and his family are calling for the UK to take urgent action to improve access to the menB vaccination for teenagers and young people.
He said: ‘No family should experience this pain and tragedy. This can be avoided. There are young people currently battling this and young people still at risk.
‘As parents, we knew our children would change the world and be a force for good. The work to protect young people has started. It needs to be more.
‘Juliette’s impact on this world must be lasting change. Now is the time to ensure families are safe from the impact of meningitis B.’
+11
View gallery
A student receives the Meningitis B vaccine at the University of Kent in Canterbury on Thursday
+11
View gallery
Students queue up to get vaccinated at the University of Kent in Canterbury on Thursday
Vinny Smith, chief executive of Meningitis Research Foundation, said in 2015 the charity’s calls for the menB vaccination to be ‘routinely available’ on the NHS for all at-risk age groups was ‘not taken forward’ as it was ‘judged not to be cost-effective’.
The menB jab was introduced on the NHS for babies in 2015, meaning the majority of young people born before then are not protected against it unless they have had the jab privately.
The Kenny family were not aware that the vaccination is not routinely available on the NHS for teenagers and young adults, and that to have this they would need to pay for it privately.
Mr Smith called on the Government to ‘decide now to save lives’ and highlighted menB’s ‘lifelong impact’, including disabilities caused by the bug.
He said: ‘When we made the case for menB vaccination to be routinely available on the NHS in 2015 for all at-risk age groups, wider protection for teenagers and young adults was not taken forward (it was judged to not be cost-effective within the criteria used at the time).
‘Our concern, then and now, is that this has not fully reflected the impact of menB or the full value protection from what a vaccine brings.
‘It hasn’t accounted for the severity of meningitis, its lifelong impact, or the trauma and bereavement experienced by families.
‘People across the country will have seen that impact this week; we believe the UK Government can decide now to save lives and limit the lifelong disabilities caused by meningitis, protecting people for generations to come.’
+11
View gallery
People walk past Club Chemistry on Wednesday after it was linked to the meningitis outbreak
+11
View gallery
The empty campus at the University of Kent today amid the meningitis outbreak
News
“WHAT THEY FOUND IN HER BACKPACK… CHANGED EVERYTHING.” The Heartbreaking Discovery After a 19-Year-Old’s Final Journey 💔 Orla Wates, 19, daughter of British businessman Andy Wates, tragically lost her life in a motorbike crash in Vietnam—but what was discovered afterward left everyone shaken.
Orla Wates, 19, Obituary, Death: Daughter of British businessman Andy Wates, Dies in Vietnam Motorbike crash accident The tragic death of 19-year-old Orla Wates has brought profound sorrow to her family and all who knew her. Orla, the daughter of British businessman Andy Wates, a director of the Wates Group, lost her life following a […]
“SEND THIS… PLEASE.” The Final Message She Asked a Stranger to Deliver Before Everything Went Dark 💔 Orla Wates, 19, daughter of British businessman Andy Wates, tragically lost her life after a motorbike crash in Vietnam—but what happened in her final moments has left everyone shattered.
Orla Wates, 19, Obituary, Death: Daughter of British businessman Andy Wates, Dies in Vietnam Motorbike crash accident The tragic death of 19-year-old Orla Wates has brought profound sorrow to her family and all who knew her. Orla, the daughter of British businessman Andy Wates, a director of the Wates Group, lost her life following a […]
“HER LAST WORDS MADE EVERYONE FREEZE.” What the 19-Year-Old Whispered Before Losing Consciousness Will Break You 💔 Orla Wates, a 19-year-old British teenager, tragically passed away—but what happened in her final moments is what truly haunts those who were there.
Orla Wates, 19, Obituary, Death: Daughter of British businessman Andy Wates, Dies in Vietnam Motorbike crash accident The tragic death of 19-year-old Orla Wates has brought profound sorrow to her family and all who knew her. Orla, the daughter of British businessman Andy Wates, a director of the Wates Group, lost her life following a […]
“MOM… I JUST WANT TO COME HOME.” Her Final Whisper in a Hospital Room Thousands of Miles Away 💔 In a quiet hospital room in Vietnam, a young British girl lay fading, her strength slipping away with every breath. Machines hummed softly around her as the reality no one wanted to face crept closer. With what little strength she had left, she leaned toward her mother… her voice barely more than a breath. And in that fragile, heartbreaking moment, she whispered the words that would haunt forever.
Orla Wates, 19, Obituary, Death: Daughter of British businessman Andy Wates, Dies in Vietnam Motorbike crash accident The tragic death of 19-year-old Orla Wates has brought profound sorrow to her family and all who knew her. Orla, the daughter of British businessman Andy Wates, a director of the Wates Group, lost her life following a […]
“SHE LEFT FOR A GAP YEAR… AND NEVER CAME HOME.” What Really Happened on the Ha Giang Loop? 💔 Orla Wates, a 19-year-old from the UK, was chasing freedom and adventure—until one sudden moment changed everything. Riding on the back of a motorbike through northern Vietnam, her journey took a devastating turn that no one saw coming. Officials say the bike lost control… but the truth behind the crash remains unclear, with unanswered questions still haunting the case.
Orla Wates, 19, Obituary, Death: Daughter of British businessman Andy Wates, Dies in Vietnam Motorbike crash accident The tragic death of 19-year-old Orla Wates has brought profound sorrow to her family and all who knew her. Orla, the daughter of British businessman Andy Wates, a director of the Wates Group, lost her life following a […]
“SHE FELL… AND HE JUST WALKED AWAY.” The Driver’s Chilling Reaction After a Crash That Took a 19-Year-Old Girl’s Life 💔 What was meant to be a dream adventure for Orla Wates turned into a nightmare when a single reckless move changed everything. She was thrown onto the road in a devastating fall—yet the driver walked away without a scratch.
Orla Wates, 19, Obituary, Death: Daughter of British businessman Andy Wates, Dies in Vietnam Motorbike crash accident The tragic death of 19-year-old Orla Wates has brought profound sorrow to her family and all who knew her. Orla, the daughter of British businessman Andy Wates, a director of the Wates Group, lost her life following a […]
End of content
No more pages to load
