Latest news with #JacobBlackwell
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Healthy tradie Jacob, 21, felt tired during dinner with his mum - within days he was fighting for his life. This is his warning for all Australians
When 21-year-old apprentice Jacob Blackwell sat down for Easter Sunday dinner with his mum Chelsea, neither of them realised it would be the last time they'd physically speak for months. Within days, Jacob would be fighting for his life - struck down by a rare and potentially fatal strain of meningococcal disease, serogroup B. 'When he left he said he was quite tired,' Chelsea told FEMAIL. 'So I said to him "go home and have a bit of a rest" and I never gave it too much thought.' What Jacob was actually battling was far more sinister - and it progressed quickly. By the next day, he was alone at his home in Maitland, NSW, grappling with a strange wave of 'flu-like' symptoms, far worse than anything he'd experienced before. There was also no tell-tale rash, the most well-known sign of meningococcal disease. Instead, Jacob felt like his whole body ached and experienced what he can now only explain as 'chronic pain'. Over the next few days he was in agony, he was delirious, and he was disoriented. Resorting to Google, he searched for his symptoms online to try and diagnose his mystery illness. But by then, it was already too late. Jacob and Chelsea were very close. They spoke or messaged each other every day. So when she didn't hear from her son for several days and noticed his phone was off, she knew something was wrong. 'On the Wednesday night, he was going to come home and watch the soccer. But he never came home,' she said. 'He would always send me a good night text, so something just wasn't sitting right with me. I thought something must have happened.' Four whole days after their dinner, Chelsea decided to jump in her car and make the hour-long drive from her home in Lake Munmorah, NSW, to Jacob's unit in Maitland to see what was going on. What she found was every parent's worst nightmare. Jacob was lying unconscious on the floor. He was completely unresponsive, his body was severely swollen, and one of his eyes was bulging from its socket. She immediately called Triple-0 and paramedics arrived within four minutes. However his condition was so grave, they initially suspected he'd been the victim of a brutal assault. They even seized his phone for evidence. But as they scrolled through his recent activity, they found his final, desperate google search: 'how to treat a migraine', and realised it might not be as black and white as they first thought. It also painted a heartbreaking picture - Jacob had known he was unwell, but hadn't realised just how sick he was. Because his symptoms didn't match the 'classic' signs of meningococcal disease, it took 24 hours before doctors realised what Jacob was actually fighting. 'There was no rash on his body, so I didn't look at him and think, "oh my gosh, this must be meningococcal",' Chelsea said. By then, the bacteria had already caused catastrophic damage to his body and his brain; doctors warned the family to prepare for the worst. Jacob was rushed into intensive care, where he would remain in an induced coma for over two weeks, completely paralysed, unable to move, speak or communicate. 'There's no other way of putting it, than absolutely heartbreaking and terrifying,' Chelsea said of seeing her son in that state. 'We had no idea what the future looked like. When it comes to the brain, they just don't know, so they couldn't give us too much information.' Meningococcal disease is rare, but is a serious illness that usually causes meningitis (inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord) and/or sepsis. People with the disease can become extremely unwell very quickly, like Jacob, and five to ten per cent of patients with the disease die, despite rapid treatment. Even more concerning is that between five and 25 per cent of people in the community carry meningococcal bacteria at the back of the nose and throat without showing any illness or symptoms. As well as a typical red, spotted rash, symptoms of can be non-specific which means that it can be hard to identify. They may include anything from sudden onset of fever, joint pain, nausea and vomiting, headaches and sensitivity to bright lights. From the age of six weeks old, Australians can be vaccinated for free against strains A, B, C, W and Y of the disease, which significantly reduces the risk. However, vaccines are not 100 per cent effective and do not protect against all strains of the bacteria. Jacob spent 22 days in ICU and a total of 230 days in hospital fighting the deadly disease with everything he had. But life is far from how it was before. 'I couldn't speak, and although I consciously knew what was happening, I couldn't get any words out,' Jacob said of how scared and vulnerable he felt at that time. He described the first three days out of his coma as the hardest. 'I was just crying non-stop, and there was a moment of like, okay this is not a dream, this is real,' he said. Once he was fully conscious again, the trauma of his coma left him with PTSD, and he continues to manage physical and emotional scars of the trauma every day. Now 23, Jacob is still recovering, supported full-time by Chelsea, who has become his carer, therapist, and advocate. He walks with the aid of frame, is easily fatigued and has significant difficulty speaking, but he has come a long way in his rehabilitation - impressing medical professionals. 'From the moment I found him, it's just been terror up until probably six months ago, and we started to realise that he's actually doing really well,' Chelsea said. Now, Jacob is back living with his mum, has the support his wider family best friends around him, and is getting himself back into sports and activities he loves. This month Jacob returned to one of his great loves, swimming, in a symbolic milestone on his recovery journey. He was joined in the pool by Olympic gold medalist Libby Trickett and Paralympian Jay Dohnt, a fellow meningococcal survivor, who helped guide Jacob back into the water. Jacob's case is terrifying because it's not unique. Meningococcal disease is rare, but it is fast, brutal and often misdiagnosed. Already this year, 56 cases have been reported across Australia with winter as peak season for transmission. Worryingly, new research shows nearly half (48 per cent) of young adults aged 18-24 can't name even one symptom of meningococcal disease. Even more concerning is one in four parents of children aged zero-to-four are also unable to identify a single sign. 'People think it's a rash,' Chelsea said. 'I really want to get out there that every case is so different.' 'If you're worried about any of your friends or family, urge them to get themselves check out.'
SBS Australia
15-07-2025
- Health
- SBS Australia
Could it be meningococcal? Australia approaches the high-risk disease's peak season
Two years ago, Jacob Blackwell was a fit tradesman with a love of sports - until a devastating bout of meningococcal disease turned his life upside down. Within two days he went from feeling lethargic to experiencing delusions. In hospital, doctors put him in an induced coma and saved his life. But he suffered severe long-term complications, losing the ability to do even basic tasks. "Everything I had to learn to do again, so eating, talking - back to square one. Think of it as an 18-month-old, just learning to do everything again." His mother Chelsea Blackwell remembers her shock on seeing the illness take hold of her son. "I actually couldn't comprehend what I'd seen. I opened the door, I looked and I was just like hmmm. Jacob didn't look like Jacob because his brain had already been swollen so his eyes were protruding and his skin was breaking a little bit. So they actually thought initially he had been assaulted." Meningococcal disease is caused by bacteria, called neisseria meningitidis, which most people carry in the back of their throat at some point in their lives. But when that bacteria turns invasive it can enter the brain or the bloodstream, causing potentially life-threatening infection. General Practitioner Dr Sam Hay says the disease can progress dangerously quickly. "It often starts with a flu-like illness, bit of a cold, bit of a runny nose, a bit of a cough. But then it progresses, fevers and (the patient) becomes very, very sick after that. People can go downhill within 24 to 48 hours." As Australia enters peak season for meningococcal, there's a national campaign ((launched Monday)) to raise awareness of the disease which primarily affects young adults and children. Doctors say the illness is on the rise, with 56 cases already reported this year - 18 of those in New South Wales. Dr Sam Hay says infections can have devastating consequences. "One in 10 people who get the invasive meningococcal can unfortunately pass away. One in five get these significant side-effects, complications, that could be brain damage, loss of limbs, hearing loss, and the list goes on.' Paralympic swimmer and bronze medallist Jay Dohnt contracted meningococcal when he was in high school. After feeling sick and developing a rash, he went to see a GP. Just 24 hours after developing symptoms, he was in intensive care. "The ambulance was still in precautionary mode, they didn't even put the lights on to take me to a hospital. At the hospital, it was a different story. They all met me out in the carpark, and took it very seriously. That evening (I was) hooked up to everything in the intensive care unit and given a 97 per chance of dying, or a 3 per cent chance of living. I wasn't conscious for the first two weeks, and I don't remember much from the first two months of a five-and-a-half month hospital stay. But this is essentially the end result - a bilateral knee amputee. Missing my patella (kneecap) in my left leg, lost four fingers on my right hand as well. So very life-changing for a teenager who loved sport." It's these life-altering impacts that lead Karen Quick, CEO of Meningitis Centre Australia, to stress the importance of early detection, urging parents to push for answers. "It's really important as parents that we're aware of all the signs and symptoms, that we trust our instincts and we get help straight away. Go straight to the hospital, straight to the doctor, and ask the question - could it be meningococcal?" Dr Sam Hay warns people not to wait until they have developed a rash as by then, it could be already too late. "When it gets into the blood stream, that's when you get the septicaemia and that then goes on to the rash. But the problem is that the rash, while it is dangerous, it happens late. And if you are looking for that, things have gone too far." Two years after his brush with meningococcal, Jay Blackwell is still working on his recovery. Inspired by Paralympian and fellow survivor Jay, he has taken up swimming and says, despite many challenges, the future is looking bright. "You kind of adapt to the life you live now you don't really think about your old life. As hard as it has been, I kind of like to take every day as my glass half full, pretty well. There's all these opportunities that I couldn't even imagine.'
SBS Australia
15-07-2025
- Health
- SBS Australia
Winter warning: Meningococcal cases rising as experts urge vigilance
Jacob Blackwell was once a fit tradie with a love of sports. But a devastating brush with meningococcal disease turned his life upside down. He was used to feeling tired after work, but one Monday, he said he had "full chronic pain". At first, he thought it was the flu. By Wednesday, he had lost consciousness and was rushed to hospital. When he woke up, the 23-year-old was told he had meningococcal disease and spent 230 days in hospital, where he had to relearn basic bodily functions — even blinking. "Everything, I had to learn how to do again," Blackwell said. "Eating, talking, all that — it's back to square one." "Think of it as an 18-month-old learning to do everything again," Blackwell said. The diagnosis was just the beginning of a long road to recovery — both for Blackwell and his family. His mother, Chelsea Blackwell, said when she found Jacob, he didn't look like himself. "His brain had already been swollen, so his eyes were protruding and his skin was breaking a little bit. I initially thought he'd been assaulted," she said. The diagnosis came as a shock. "I never thought for a second [it was] bacterial meningitis. I never thought for a second that meningococcal had anything to do with this," she said. Chelsea Blackwell was stunned to learn her son Jacob had meningococcal disease, especially since he showed no sign of the common rash linked to the illness. Source: Supplied What is meningococcal disease? As Australia enters its peak season, experts are warning young adults and parents of young children to be aware of early symptoms of the disease. The bacterial infection can strike without warning and accelerate rapidly, often causing death or leading to life-changing complications. Even with treatment, up to one in 10 people may die, and one in three survivors may be left with long-term complications or a disability. "That can be brain damage. It can be a loss of limbs. The list goes on," said general practitioner Dr Sam Hay. "These are life-altering effects ... leading to calls for early detection." What are the signs of meningococcal disease? "Early symptoms can look like the flu, including fever, headache, drowsiness and vomiting, which is why recognising the signs and acting quickly is so critical," Hay said. "This is especially important as cases rise over winter. "It often starts with a flu-like illness. A bit of a cold, a bit of a runny nose, a bit of a cough. But then it progresses with fevers and people become very, very sick after that." He said people deteriorate within 24 to 48 hours. "It really can happen that fast," he said. Chelsea said her son didn't show one of the most common symptoms of meningococcal — a rash with red and purple spots — but even so, it can be one of the last to appear. "Unfortunately, if you see a rash, it's going to be too late," Hay warned. The bacterium can spread through droplets from the nose and throat of an infected person. It's not easily transmitted, usually requiring close, prolonged contact, such as living in the same household or kissing. Australia enters peak meningococcal season Like the flu, meningococcal disease is seasonal, with cases typically peaking in winter and early spring. Already this year, 56 cases of meningococcal infection have been reported across Australia. That includes 18 in NSW, 14 in Queensland, 10 in Victoria, seven in Western Australia, five in South Australia, and two in Tasmania. Karen Quick, CEO of Meningitis Centre Australia, said understanding the signs and symptoms of the disease is crucial. "Infectious disease experts tell us that every 20 minutes, your child will continue to get worse. If they continue to get worse, you'll know that something's not right," she said. "What we're finding is parents don't know what the signs and symptoms are. "It camouflages itself as a virus." All children aged 12 months receive the vaccinations for the A, W, Y and C strains of meningococcal, under the National Immunisation Program (NIP). While only Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children under two years old and people at increased risk due to specific medical conditions are eligible for a free B vaccine under the NIP. South Australia, Queensland, and the Northern Territory have state-funded vaccination programs to protect more children and teenagers against the B strain. "Early detection can make a massive difference. Aussie parents need to understand that it can start with a cold or a flu, but it can rapidly progress," Hay said. "If your kids are getting very sick very quickly, that's when you need to seek help as soon as possible." As Blackwell readjusts to his new life, he's taking each day as it comes. "As hard as it has been, I kind of like to take every day as my glass half full. "I used to do sport, work, driving — things we take for granted that get taken away from you. "You kind of adapt to the life you live now."
