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Board of Directors
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Candie Benn, a founding director
of NMA, resides in San Diego, CA. In 1995 her then 18-year-old
daughter Melanie, a freshman living in a dorm
on a college campus, came home for Christmas
break. Melanie was rushed to the emergency room
on Christmas Eve with flu-like symptoms and
returned home in late April after a five-month
life saving battle. Candie and her family learned
there was a vaccine to prevent this disease only
after Melanie was in the hospital. Melanie lost
her arms and legs to meningococcemia and was
on dialysis for over a year until her father
donated a kidney to her. Melanie graduated from
UCLA with a Master's degree in social work and
is now on staff at the hospital that saved her
life. Read
Melanie's Story |
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| Lynn Bozof, a founding director
of NMA, resides in Atlanta, GA. Her 20-year-old
son, Evan, died on April 20, 1998, after a 26-day
battle with meningococcal disease.
During these 26 days, he had both arms and legs
amputated. Evan was a college junior, honor student
and pitcher on his university baseball team.
At that time, all of his family was unaware that
a vaccine existed that could have saved his life. Read
Evan's Story. |
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| Tama Lee, elected to the NMA
board in 2006, resides in Atlanta, GA. Tama had never heard
of meningococcal disease until her son Casey
contracted the life-threatening bacterial infection
while a senior in high school. Casey
died only 18 hours after experiencing the first
symptoms of the disease. It was only after
her son’s death that Tama learned immunization
may have saved his life. Read
Stuart Casey Lee's Story. |
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| Leslie Maier, elected to the
NMA board in 2006, resides in Tucson, AZ. Leslie’s
son Chris was a high school senior and a star
soccer player when meningococcal disease tragically
took his life in 2005. The disease progressed
so quickly that Chris, a healthy, active young
man, died the day after his first symptoms
appeared. Leslie was not aware that immunization
may have prevented her son’s death and
now wants to protect other families from experiencing
the same tragedy. Read
Christopher's Story. |
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| Nancy Springer, a founding
director of NMA, resides outside of New York
City. Nancy was affected by meningococcemia when
her then 14-year-old son, Nick, came down with
the disease in August 1999. Within 24 hours,
Nick, who was at sleep away camp, was on full
life support and kidney dialysis. Nick did survive,
but both his legs and hands were amputated as
a result of the disease. Nick now enjoys wheelchair
rugby, sled hockey, swimming, and walks with
prosthetics. Read
Nick's Story. |
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