A vaccine that can save a life

The photo of Gerald Pe, as stark and grim as practically any that a newspaper publishes, told perhaps more than the accompanying story: Parts of both feet are missing. His legs are disfigured. His skin appears discolored.

It took courage for Pe, now 20, to allow himself to be photographed. The Virginia Beach man did it to alert college students to vaccinate themselves against meningitis, an often-overlooked infection that can have ghastly results. Health care professionals recommend the vaccination for freshmen living in dormitories and adolescents ages 11 to 18.

Meningitis is an infection of the spinal cord fluid and the fluid that surrounds the brain, and it's usually caused by a viral or bacterial infection. Though only 24 cases of meningococcal infection were reported in Virginia last year, two people died when it advanced to meningitis.

Pe became infected in spring 2007 while he was living at home and attending Tidewater Community College. Virginia requires students heading to college to get the vaccine or sign a waiver, but because Pe was a community college student, he didn't get one.

The fast-moving infection forced him into a fight for his life and limbs, and it landed him for nearly two months in Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital. He's endured amputations, removal of dead tissue and skin grafts.

But Pe, who will attend Virginia Tech this fall, uses his harrowing experience as a teachable moment. He's talked to Ocean Lakes High School about the value of the vaccine. He's now shared his story with readers.

His struggle is reminiscent of the one faced by Rayna Dubose, a Virginia Tech student-athlete who contracted meningitis in 2002, fell into a coma and had four limbs amputated. She now gives motivational speeches and has a Web site (www.raynadubose.net) that discusses overcoming obstacles.

Pe and Dubose can tell you about coping with meningitis. They'd warn you - in words and pictures - that prevention is even better.