This is the tragic story of how my healthy, beautiful 19 month old daughter, Gia, was taken from us in 11 days by pneumococcal meningitis.

On 5 April 2005, Gia didn't seem herself. She had a high temperature and was a bit grizzly. At the time we thought she was just coming down with a cold but later that night she began to vomit, which continued the next day. We took her to the GP who gave her paracetemol to bring her temperature down. However, Gia didn't improve and became increasingly drowsy, so we took her to hospital.

The consultant who saw us was sure Gia had a urine infection, but lunchtime the next day she had a fit. Now we were scared and knew something was seriously wrong, but the word meningitis didn't even enter our heads, as she didn't have a rash.

Gia deteriorated rapidly from that point. That evening, pneumococcal meningitis was confirmed. We were transferred to the local Paediatric Intensive Care Unit. By this point, Gia was also suffering from kidney failure for which she needed dialysis.

We were told Gia could die, be left brain damaged or pull through with no ill effects. But as the days passed she didn't wake up and continued to suffer seizures. A CT scan showed wide spread brain damage, so our hopes of having Gia back the way she was disappeared.

Our once healthy daughter was fading in front of our eyes. The consultants told us the kindest thing to do for Gia was to let her die in peace. They transferred us to a children's hospice where they removed the ventilator and let us say goodbye. She died in her daddy's arms 7 hours later.