Mike Davies, a man from Brighton, is backing efforts to eliminate meningitis after undergoing groundbreaking transplant surgery due to the disease. Davies lost both hands and feet after falling ill on Christmas Day in 2017. He received a double hand transplant and is now one of only ten individuals in the country to have received such a procedure. Davies is passionate about raising awareness of the risks of meningitis and advocates for the meningitis vaccine. He regularly visits colleges to persuade students to get vaccinated and shares his own experience of needing 400 jabs in the first five months after losing his hands and legs.
Davies will address a World Health Organization meeting in Paris to discuss the global eradication of meningitis by 2030. He describes his new hands as a “work in progress,” with his left hand having limited functionality, while his right hand can catch objects to some extent. Despite the muscles not fully functioning, he can now pick up two things simultaneously and use hand controls for driving. Davies’ story serves as an inspiration for others affected by meningitis and underscores the importance of prevention and vaccination efforts in combating the disease.