A West Michigan mother is getting support from the Kent County Health Department to encourage high school students to get vaccinated for meningitis.
19-year-old Emily Stillman died back in 2013 from meningitis B. Her mother says she died within hours of contracting the disease.
According to the Kent County Health Department, it is the only type of meningitis not included in the common vaccine. Meningitis B is most deadly form of the virus.
Tuesday, May 9, Emily's mother shared her story and encouraged other teenagers to get the vaccine before they graduate.
"We didn't have the means to protect my daughter," Alicia Stillman said. "I didn't have the knowledge or the vaccine available we do now for everybody else to protect their children."
The vaccine was not available in the United States until 2015. Health officials are urging parents and young adults to get the vaccine along with the other meningitis vaccine that covers the four other strains.
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