Boy, 14, with ‘infectious smile' dies just days after catching fast-moving illness – as doctors issue stark warning
A TEEN boy suddenly died after waking up with symptoms of fast-moving illness.
William Hand, who was only 14 years old, was 'known for his infectious smile' and 'playful banter', an obituary said.
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William Hand died on June 8, only 14 years old. His dad wrote: "This is how I will always choose to remember Will. Flowing hair, big smile and in sports attire. I will see you again, son."
Credit: Post & Courier Obituaries
5
His family, including parents William and Megan Hand and siblings Emi Reese, 15, Logan, 12 and Rediger, eight, said he had a "big smile"
Credit: Facebook
His dad, also called Will Hand, wrote on Facebook: 'Today he woke us up before 5am clearly not well. Everything snowballed and God called him home.'
William, of Greenville,
Meningococcemia is rare but life-threatening.
The bacteria that causes it, Neisseria meningitidis (N. meningitidis), destroys blood vessels when it gets into the blood stream.
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Read more real life
'This keeps blood from getting to your organs and tissues, which causes symptoms like cold hands and feet, severe muscle pain and pale or discolored skin,' according to the Mayo Clinic.
Serious illness caused by meningococcal bacteria is called invasive meningococcal disease.
It can lead to meningitis, which is the inflammation of the brain and spinal cord,
Will, a keen basketball player, had meningococcal septicemia, his mum Megan told
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His symptoms were not described. But they include a fever, vomiting, headache and a rash that may be red or purple.
'We call it a petechial rash because it looks like broken blood vessels underneath the skin,' said Dr Anna-Kathryn Burch.
'MOST TRAUMATIC DAY OF MY LIFE' My son, 18, wrote his illness off as a hangover - hours later he was dead
'It's not a typically rash that you would get with let's say, a viral infection. If you put your finger on it and press down really hard, the rash will stay there.'
Around one in 10 people have N. meningitidis at the back of their throat without having symptoms or being unwell.
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Carriers can pass it on to others by close contact, such as sneezing, coughing or kissing.
According to Meningitis Research: 'Only a small fraction of people who are exposed to meningococcal bacteria
It most often strikes children and young people.
Vaccinations can protect against some types of meningitis, with viral meningitis being the most common form and bacterial meningitis the rarer.
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Dr Burch warned of speed at which the disease can take hold in someone's body.
'The infection happens so quickly, and once it starts going, sometimes it is very hard to save the person who is infected with the bacteria," she said.
William - who has three siblings - Emi Reese, 15, Logan, 12 and Rediger, eight - will be remembered by his family as having 'flowing hair, big smile and in sports attire'.
5
William was a keen sportsplayer
Credit: Facebook
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He was described as the "life of the party"
Credit: Facebook
Know the signs of meningitis and septicaemia
Meningitis is inflammation of the lining around the brain and spinal cord – the meninges.
Septicaemia is blood poisoning caused by the same germs as meningitis and is life-threatening. It can occur with or without meningitis.
Both meningitis and septicaemia can kill in hours, so it is critical to know the symptoms so you can act fast.
Symptoms can appear in any order and not all of them show. For example, the meningitis rash does not always appear.
It can be hard to tell meningitis/septicaemia apart from other common bugs.
The symptoms marked with a * indicate those that are more specific to meningitis/septicaemia and are rarer with common bugs.
Symptoms of both septicaemia and meningitis
Fever and/or vomiting
Very sleepy, vacant or difficult to wake
Confused/delirious*
A rash, which can be anywhere on the body*
Additional symptoms of meningitis
Severe headache
Seizures
Dislike of bright lights
Stiff neck*
Additional symptoms of septicaemia
Breathing fast/breathlessness
Pale or mottled skin
Limb/muscle/joint pain, which may come with stomach pain or diarrhoea *
Cold hands, feet or shivering*
Source:
His
'Will was a highlight of many people's day-equal parts athlete, comedian, music lover, and loyal friend.
'His teammates, coaches, and friends knew him as the life of party-always ready with a story, usually a little embellished for effect, and always delivered with a grin.
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'Will was recognized as an 'All A's' student, a testament to his intelligence, curiosity, and occasional bursts of focus between jokes.
'Beyond the classroom and court, Will was known for his infectious smile, playful banter amongst friends, and unmatched gift for turning everyday moments into unforgettable memories.'
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The Irish Sun
9 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Boy, 14, with ‘infectious smile' dies just days after catching fast-moving illness – as doctors issue stark warning
A TEEN boy suddenly died after waking up with symptoms of fast-moving illness. William Hand, who was only 14 years old, was 'known for his infectious smile' and 'playful banter', an obituary said. Advertisement 5 William Hand died on June 8, only 14 years old. His dad wrote: "This is how I will always choose to remember Will. Flowing hair, big smile and in sports attire. I will see you again, son." Credit: Post & Courier Obituaries 5 His family, including parents William and Megan Hand and siblings Emi Reese, 15, Logan, 12 and Rediger, eight, said he had a "big smile" Credit: Facebook His dad, also called Will Hand, wrote on Facebook: 'Today he woke us up before 5am clearly not well. Everything snowballed and God called him home.' William, of Greenville, Meningococcemia is rare but life-threatening. The bacteria that causes it, Neisseria meningitidis (N. meningitidis), destroys blood vessels when it gets into the blood stream. Advertisement Read more real life 'This keeps blood from getting to your organs and tissues, which causes symptoms like cold hands and feet, severe muscle pain and pale or discolored skin,' according to the Mayo Clinic. Serious illness caused by meningococcal bacteria is called invasive meningococcal disease. It can lead to meningitis, which is the inflammation of the brain and spinal cord, Will, a keen basketball player, had meningococcal septicemia, his mum Megan told Advertisement Most read in Health His symptoms were not described. But they include a fever, vomiting, headache and a rash that may be red or purple. 'We call it a petechial rash because it looks like broken blood vessels underneath the skin,' said Dr Anna-Kathryn Burch. 'MOST TRAUMATIC DAY OF MY LIFE' My son, 18, wrote his illness off as a hangover - hours later he was dead 'It's not a typically rash that you would get with let's say, a viral infection. If you put your finger on it and press down really hard, the rash will stay there.' Around one in 10 people have N. meningitidis at the back of their throat without having symptoms or being unwell. Advertisement Carriers can pass it on to others by close contact, such as sneezing, coughing or kissing. According to Meningitis Research: 'Only a small fraction of people who are exposed to meningococcal bacteria It most often strikes children and young people. Vaccinations can protect against some types of meningitis, with viral meningitis being the most common form and bacterial meningitis the rarer. Advertisement Dr Burch warned of speed at which the disease can take hold in someone's body. 'The infection happens so quickly, and once it starts going, sometimes it is very hard to save the person who is infected with the bacteria," she said. William - who has three siblings - Emi Reese, 15, Logan, 12 and Rediger, eight - will be remembered by his family as having 'flowing hair, big smile and in sports attire'. 5 William was a keen sportsplayer Credit: Facebook Advertisement 5 He was described as the "life of the party" Credit: Facebook Know the signs of meningitis and septicaemia Meningitis is inflammation of the lining around the brain and spinal cord – the meninges. Septicaemia is blood poisoning caused by the same germs as meningitis and is life-threatening. It can occur with or without meningitis. Both meningitis and septicaemia can kill in hours, so it is critical to know the symptoms so you can act fast. Symptoms can appear in any order and not all of them show. For example, the meningitis rash does not always appear. It can be hard to tell meningitis/septicaemia apart from other common bugs. The symptoms marked with a * indicate those that are more specific to meningitis/septicaemia and are rarer with common bugs. Symptoms of both septicaemia and meningitis Fever and/or vomiting Very sleepy, vacant or difficult to wake Confused/delirious* A rash, which can be anywhere on the body* Additional symptoms of meningitis Severe headache Seizures Dislike of bright lights Stiff neck* Additional symptoms of septicaemia Breathing fast/breathlessness Pale or mottled skin Limb/muscle/joint pain, which may come with stomach pain or diarrhoea * Cold hands, feet or shivering* Source: His 'Will was a highlight of many people's day-equal parts athlete, comedian, music lover, and loyal friend. 'His teammates, coaches, and friends knew him as the life of party-always ready with a story, usually a little embellished for effect, and always delivered with a grin. Advertisement 'Will was recognized as an 'All A's' student, a testament to his intelligence, curiosity, and occasional bursts of focus between jokes. 'Beyond the classroom and court, Will was known for his infectious smile, playful banter amongst friends, and unmatched gift for turning everyday moments into unforgettable memories.' 5
The Journal
10 hours ago
- The Journal
Debunked: A study into music's effect on cells doesn't show Beethoven's 5th can 'fight cancer'
A SPURIOUS CLAIM that music can be used to fight cancer has repeatedly gone viral online over the course of more than a decade. There have been real studies on the effects of sound and music on cancer. However, the viral posts vastly overstate the findings, including adding fictional details unsupported by studies. 'Music might do more than move our souls—it could help fight cancer,' one 8 June Facebook post read. 'Scientists found that Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 destroyed 20% of cancer cells in lab tests, while leaving healthy cells untouched. 'Another piece, Ligeti's 'Atmosphères,' showed similar effects, hinting that certain compositions might carry healing powers science is just starting to explore. 'Dr. Márcia Alves Marques Capella and her team in Rio de Janeiro are expanding their research, testing rhythms like Samba and Funk to find nature's own soundtrack for healing.' This post has been viewed more than a thousand times. Dr. Márcia Alves Marques Capella is an Associate Professor at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and has researched the effects of music on cancer cell samples. However, she has explicitly stated that her research did not provide the 20% figure, nor did it indicate music could fight cancer in people, nor has her research shown that music leaves 'healthy cells untouched'. The story likely originated in a 2011 interview with Capella in the Brazilian newspaper O Globo. That story about Capella's research into music's effects on cancer is more accurate than later social media posts, noting that the cancer cells were lab-grown on Petri dishes, not in humans or lab animals. The article makes no mention of healthy cells remaining intact. However, it does contain the claim about one fifth of the cancer cells dying. It also mentions plans to test the effect of samba and funk on cancer cells — tests that never went ahead and that the researcher interviewed by O Globo says had never been planned. The scientific papers based on the work of Capella and other researchers were published in 2013 and 2016 , and are available online. Advertisement The series of experiments described in the 2013 paper involved exposing samples of a human breast cancer cell line to the first movement of one of three compositions: Mozart's Sonata for Two Pianos in D major, KV. 448; Beethoven's 5th Symphony; and Ligeti's Atmosphères. Additional control samples were exposed only to silence — some in an incubator chamber with plugged in speakers playing nothing, and others without any speaker. After multiple repetitions of the experiment, the researchers concluded that some compositions disrupted the cells' cycles and markers for DNA degradation were recorded, 'suggesting an increase in cell death'. The Mozart composition and the control groups did not show these results. The second experiment looked at a second breast cancer cell line, and more definitively demonstrated that certain compositions induced cell death. Other types of cells tested, including two leukaemia cell lines, were unaffected. The researchers were unsure of how the music caused cell death in the affected cell lines, though hypothesised the sound may have caused a specific mechanical vibration. The paper ends by noting they planned longer observations 'to understand the properties observed by music intervention to people with disease.' Neither paper gives a 20% figure for cell death. And the only mention of any intact healthy cells was MDCK, a line of dog kidney cells which were tested but showed no change. Neither study suggested the results showed music should be used a method to treat cancer in actual patients, and in an email to Snopes , Capella said that the experiments she performed on cell lines in petri dishes 'could not be extended to human beings'. She also noted that their methods did not allow them to quantify cell death, and as such the 20% figure spread online was not based on real research. The effect of sounds or music on cells, including cancer cells, is a real subject of scientific study. And the research carried out by Capella has shown compelling results. However, claims that music can fight cancer are not supported by scientific evidence and can be potentially dangerous if they dissuade patients from taking conventional therapies. Such exaggerated claims are often shared in alternative medicine circles to show that 'frequencies' or 'vibrations' can be used as medicine, or that cures for cancer are known, but ignored or suppressed. Want to be your own fact-checker? Visit our brand-new FactCheck Knowledge Bank for guides and toolkits The Journal's FactCheck is a signatory to the International Fact-Checking Network's Code of Principles. You can read it here . For information on how FactCheck works, what the verdicts mean, and how you can take part, check out our Reader's Guide here . You can read about the team of editors and reporters who work on the factchecks here . Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... It is vital that we surface facts from noise. Articles like this one brings you clarity, transparency and balance so you can make well-informed decisions. We set up FactCheck in 2016 to proactively expose false or misleading information, but to continue to deliver on this mission we need your support. Over 5,000 readers like you support us. If you can, please consider setting up a monthly payment or making a once-off donation to keep news free to everyone. Learn More Support The Journal
The Journal
4 days ago
- The Journal
FactCheck: How will Ireland's new system for organ donation work?
IRELAND IS SET to enact a new opt-out organ donation system, which has led to questions about consent, bodily autonomy, and the role of the State in medical decisions. The Human Tissue (Transplantation, Post-Mortem, Anatomical Examination and Public Display) Act 2024 was signed into law more than a year ago; parts of it, including a new 'opt-out' organ donation system, will come into effect on 17 June . According to a explanatory memorandum submitted to the Oireachtas, the bill was intended to 'support and increase organ donation and transplantation in Ireland' by creating a 'soft opt-out system of consent'. This means that people who don't want to donate organs are expected to let their wishes known, rather than the other way around. The memorandum also says the bill will embed the idea that 'consent is the defining principle across all practices related to human tissue'. In other words, people or their families need to give permission over what happens to their bodies after death. However, not all commentators have seen the bill this way. Criticisms of the bill aired in the Oireachtas, when it was the subject of seven debates, ( which can be read here ), including concerns about increases to hospitals' administrative burden, or how data is collected. However, after dozens of amendments — a normal part of the passage of legislation through the Dáil and Seanad — it appears that the Act in its current form enjoys broad support. Online commentators have taken more extreme issues with the Act, and what it has set out to do, taking issue with the very idea of opting-out of organ donation. 'Do you want the state to have ownership over your organs???' reads the caption on a Facebook video, viewed more than 55,000 times since it was posted in May. 'The State will take ownership of the organs of all of its citizens under presumed consent, with the introduction of the Human Tissue Act,' a woman in the video says to camera. The video's description reads: 'If you don't protect domain over your own body, the State can inject and implant whatever they see fit.' But how exactly does the Human Tissue Act change things? Does it mean that the State will own your organs once parts of the legislation become law next week? How organ donation works now Experts who spoke with The Journal said that the new legislation was the first of its kind in Ireland. 'The Human Tissue Act itself is quite a beast,' Colin White, the National Advocacy and Projects Manager with the Irish Kidney Association has said. 'It covers a large, large area. Transplantation and organ donation is only Part Two of the [six-part] legislation.' He also pointed out that the law has not yet been enacted because the Government has sought to figure out how to set up parts of the system, such as the opt-out register. Karen Kilraine, Barrister at Law at The Law Library also told The Journal that organ donation and transplantation in Ireland was largely governed by medical guidelines, ethical guidelines and the principle of consent before now. 'There is no statutory regulatory authority equivalent to the Human Tissue Authority in the UK,' she explained. The Human Tissue Authority in the UK regulates post-mortems, organ donation and transplantation, as the use of human bodies for research, anatomy training, public displays, or medical treatment. The current system in Ireland effectively means that the main considerations for organ donation are the wishes of an individual donor's family, as well as confirmation that the donor is dead. White outlined how this works in practical terms. 'To be in the position to be a potential organ donor, typically you have to be in an intensive care unit on a life support machine, and two independent doctors have to declare you brain stem dead,' he said. 'At that point, the possibility of organ donation can be broached.' There were 263 organ transplants performed in 2024, including 84 from deceased people and 30 from living donors, according to the HSE . The majority of these (175) were kidney donations. (A single dead donor can give multiple organs to separate recipients. For example, both kidneys can be transplanted). White noted that only about 1-2% of people who die will do so in such a way that they are eligible for organ donation. Statistics from other countries give even lower figures . This is largely due to the need for such organs to be recovered shortly after death, but also because the cause of death might damage a person's organs. Initially, Ireland's organ donation system focused primarily on kidney donations. 'The organ donor card was introduced by the Irish Kidney Association back in the late '70s,' White said. 'Originally it was the Kidney Donor Card, because the kidney was the organ that was being mostly transplanted. For the other organs, the science hadn't quite got there. 'Over time, that has morphed into the organ donor card that we know today. The Irish Kidney Association is still responsible. Every single organ donor card that's in the country comes out of our office.' However, despite what many people believe, the card itself doesn't have any legal weight. 'The donor card has space for two signatures on the back of it, one for the owner and one for a person's next of kin,' White explained. 'The idea is then that they take the card and go to a family member and say, 'Here, there's a space for you to sign this. Will you sign here?' 'That's its primary function — it's an icebreaker into the conversation about organ donation. Because typically, it's not something that comes up at the dinner table 'How was your day, dear? And, oh, by the way, in the event of me being a potential organ donor, would you make sure it goes ahead, please?'' Whether or ot not a person has a card, the family of a deceased potential donor will be approached for consent to donate their organs. 'Even if the deceased carries a donor card, their next of kin (as in nearest relatives) still have to consent to the donation,' barrister Karen Kilraine said. Ultimately, both the card and the conversations it may have prompted are only a guide to a family's decision after a person has died. Advertisement What will change under the new law? Under the incoming rules, an opt-out register will be set up, whereby people can register that they do not want to donate their organs after death. There are no plans for an equivalent opt-in register. 'If somebody feels 'I'd rather not be considered a potential organ donor, I'd rather not have my family to have to address that question', they will be able to go to a HSE-run register and record their details,' White told The Journal. 'So in the event that they die in the circumstances where organ donation is a possibility, the first step from the hospital will be to consult the opt-out register.' People who are not included on the register will be 'deemed to consent' to organ donation. However, that is not the end of the legal hurdles. As under the previous system, a person's next-of-kin still has to agree to the donation. The new legislation formalises the concept of a 'designated family member', and will rank these in order, from spouses and civil partners, through siblings, down to friends. If more than one person shares the highest applicable rank, just a single objection is enough to stop an organ from being donated. 'Where a deceased person is not on that register and there is therefore 'deemed consent', a doctor cannot remove organs unless what is termed a 'designated family member' has confirmed in writing that they have no objection to donation,' Kilraine told The Journal. 'The Act does not change that. The decision with respect to organ donation is ultimately settled after death and by someone other than the deceased.'' Given these new restrictions, how is the new system expected to increase the number of organ donations rather than discourage them? 'The idea behind it is to try and kind of make it more the cultural norm, that it's part of the dying process,' White said. 'Under the current system, the conversation might be 'did your loved one have an organ donor card?', or 'did you ever have a conversation about organ donation?', or 'do you think organ donation is something that they would have considered?' — that kind of phraseology.' 'After 17 June, the question will be more about, as the legislation says, 'Is there any reason you think your loved one would have objected to organ donation or not want to have been considered?'' Further restrictions But the legislation still places further restrictions around organ donation after a person dies. Over six chapters, Section 2 of the Human Tissue Act breaks down the rules, principles, and priorities that have to be accounted for during the process. These are too long to delve into in detail, but generally, the Act takes a cautious tone when it comes to donating a dead person's organs. 'In the absence of 'opting out', all adults who are 18 years of age or above, ordinarily resident in the State for 12 months or more, who do not lack capacity and or have not for a significant period of time before their death are deemed to consent to organ donation,' Kilraine said. 'People not satisfying these criteria include children, who cannot be deemed to have given consent.' Kilraine also noted that some sections appear to give 'safeguards', ranging from people who would have consented to donate some particular organs but not others, to those who don't want their organs donated but for whatever reason had never opted out. 'It's not a case of, 'Well, I never got around to opting out, so the State are going to take my organs',' White told The Journal. 'The public can rest assured that if a family member hasn't opted out, their relatives will still be the final port of call. It's written very clearly into the legislation: hospitals cannot bypass the family.' Organs and ownership Given the emphasis on the consent of a person's family, is there any weight to the notion that people's organs will become property of the State, as has been claimed online? 'A dead body is not considered property in Ireland; this is to respect and afford dignity to a dead body and which supersedes any concept of ownership,' Kilraine explained. The term 'property' does not appear once in the Human Tissue Act, nor does the term 'ownership'. The term 'owner' does appear three times, but always in relation a building or business, e.g. 'the owner of the hospital'. Instead, dead bodies and organs are legally put under 'authority', a far more limited concept than that of property. 'Next of kin have certain rights and responsibilities with respect to a dead body including with respect to burial and decisions regarding post mortems and organ donation,' Kilraine said. 'This does not amount to ownership.' 'Where a death is sudden, unexplained or in suspicious circumstances, the coroner has legal authority over the body and can order a post-mortem and or retain the body for investigative purposes. 'This authority when in force supersedes any rights of the next of kin or family. It is however as a custodian, and neither the coroner or the State have ownership of a dead body. 'None of the above are changed by the Act. Organs of dead people would not be said to be property of the state or of anyone else.' The gift of life The new Irish legislation follows opt-out systems that have been put in place in other countries, including in every jurisdiction in the United Kingdom. However, since being introduced in England in 2020, it has not had a major impact on the number of organs that have been donated. In large part, this was due to potential donations being overruled by patients' families. Of the 1,036 cases where deemed consent applied, the family did not support donation 446 times, according to statistics from the NHS . In many ways, the conversation encouraged by the Kidney Donor Cards since the '70s is still the key to successfully enabling organ donations. 'When we lose a loved one, there's very much that element of powerlessness,' White told The Journal 'And then there's this opportunity, if you're in that 1-2%, to transform the lives of others.' 'I've witnessed, over the years, donor families coming up to the transplant recipients to say 'thank you', which is mind blowing. The recipients say 'No, hold on there! It's your loved one and your decision that has allowed me to do what I'm doing'. 'But the donor families say: 'No. It brings some degree of meaning to the loss of our loved one.'' 'We have to think of organ donation, not only in terms of the recipients, but equally of the donor family,' White said. 'We've lost a loved one, but there are other families out there who are getting to celebrate another of life's milestones, to see another Christmas, to share another sunrise.' The Human Tissue Act introduces a new framework for organ donation, however the rights of surviving family members remain paramount. 'Empower your family. Have the conversation,' White implored. 'Or, some might put it a different way: take the decision out of your family's hands by letting them know what you want.' Want to be your own fact-checker? Visit our brand-new FactCheck Knowledge Bank for guides and toolkits The Journal's FactCheck is a signatory to the International Fact-Checking Network's Code of Principles. You can read it here . For information on how FactCheck works, what the verdicts mean, and how you can take part, check out our Reader's Guide here . You can read about the team of editors and reporters who work on the factchecks here . Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... It is vital that we surface facts from noise. Articles like this one brings you clarity, transparency and balance so you can make well-informed decisions. We set up FactCheck in 2016 to proactively expose false or misleading information, but to continue to deliver on this mission we need your support. Over 5,000 readers like you support us. If you can, please consider setting up a monthly payment or making a once-off donation to keep news free to everyone. Learn More Support The Journal
