A MUM is backing a charity campaign to get people talking about viral meningitis — after her baby daughter was struck down with the disease.

Zoe Totten, 25, from Breightmet, is supporting Meningitis Now’s third Viral Meningitis Week, Vocal About Viral, which takes place until May 10 to dispel myths and raise awareness.

Her daughter, Willow McClarence had contracted viral meningitis twice by the time she was just eight weeks old in December 2012.

Miss Totten said: “I knew there was something wrong with Willow as she was very sleepy and wouldn’t wake up, she became floppy and was going 12 hours between feeds.

"The nurse visited her at home but dismissed these worries and said that Willow was going so long between feeds because she was premature by six weeks. Despite this advice I trusted my instincts and demanded that she was seen in hospital.

“When we took her to hospital her health deteriorated very quickly. She needed oxygen to breathe and was transferred into intensive care. Nothing could have prepares us for the horrifying news we were about to receive – our beautiful little princess had stopped breathing. Special teams were called in to help and Willow was put into an induced coma for six days. She was put on a life support machine while her breathing was steadied.

“Willow spent five weeks in hospital before we were allowed to take her home again. It was heart-breaking to see her in so much pain and to be connected to all these machines but what she went through saved her life. However, 13 days later our worst fears became reality as she suffered six seizures and was re-admitted to hospital."

A third lumbar puncture showed that Willow had contracted Meningoencephalitis a second time and she was kept in hospital for a further four weeks before being discharged.

Up to 6,000 people each year across the UK suffer from viral meningitis, an infection that causes inflammation of the membranes that surround the brain and the spinal cord. The majority of cases happen during the warmer months.

A survey by Meningitis Now found that 97 per cent of sufferers faced debilitating after-effects including exhaustion, headaches, memory loss, depression, anxiety and hearing difficulties. Many have to take long periods off education or work, and struggle with day-to-day tasks that most people take for granted.

And because the symptoms of viral meningitis can be similar to the more dangerous bacterial form of the disease, Meningitis Now is urging sufferers to seek urgent medical help if concerned.

The awareness week is being supported by celebrity and TV doctor Dr Ellie Cannon. She said: “Viral Meningitis Week is all about getting people to talk about the disease, its symptoms and its after-effects.”

For more information, visit www.meningitisnow.org or freephone 0808 80 10 388.