Nicola Ellison, who writes for the St Helens Star, describes how prompt treatment at the St Helens NHS walk-in centre saved her life when she was struck down with meningitis:

I was rushed to hospital with meningitis and septicaemia in 2009. I had felt slightly unwell for a couple of days before but was still able to go to work so thought nothing of it. All of a sudden I began to deteriorate extremely quickly.

My hands and feet were freezing, and despite wearing layers of clothes I could not get warm. I was also very drowsy and vomiting.

I stubbornly refused to be taken to a doctor as I believed it was Swine Flu, which was being heavily reported in the media at the time.

It was only when I noticed a blotchy purple rash on my hand that I realised I was in trouble.

The immediate care I received in the walk in centre in St Helens town centre saved my life. When my dad took me in I could barely walk. The receptionist realised how sick I was and got a nurse to see me immediately, who injected me with antibiotics and called an ambulance.

When I got to hospital I was put into a medically induced coma and on a life support machine to give my body the best chance to fight the disease.

Obviously this was an extremely frightening time for my parents who were told that I might not survive. Thankfully, after three days I had improved enough to be brought out of the coma, and moved out of intensive care.

Although it took months to fully recover, I escaped with minimal long-term side effects (some scarring, and some slight nerve damage in my right foot).

I consider myself to be remarkably lucky to have survived. Since I have been in contact with Meningitis UK I have heard many tragic stories of people who were not as fortunate.

It is a truly devastating disease and it is crucial that people are aware of the warning signs to look out for.