In June of 2001, Lindsey Gray had flu-like symptoms. The next day, she was worse. In 24 hours, she was in a coma on full life support. She came out of the coma in six weeks, with her legs amputated below the knee.
"I'd actually planned on being in the pom squad at the U of M," she said, "it was very devastating."
Lindsey Gray suffered from meningitis, one of two topics Student Health Services promoted at its booth Wednesday. The services sponsor a weekly booth to promote health awareness. This week's booth in the Wilder Tower lobby concentrated on influenza and meningitis. Traffic was slow through the lobby, according to student volunteers Falan Vaughn and Cynthia Quiroz.
"Maybe 10 students have stopped by," said Vaughn. The booth showed facts and information to reduce the risk of illness focusing on nutrition, exercise and avoiding germs. Information was also provided on flu vaccination dates for the university and ways to beat a cold.U of M student, Josh Walls played the trivia game the booth used to draw attention.
"I did pretty well at it," he said
Students aren't at a high risk for the flu, said Samantha Schwenke, a nutrition educator and booth planner. Only high risk populations need the flu vaccine shot. High-risk areas are people 65 years and older, children younger than 2 and pregnant women, she said. Yet, students should still keep preventative measures in mind.
"Students aren't high risk for the flu, but with this year's supply circumstances, we are concentrated on preventative measures," she said. "I think students are aware of the need to stay healthier. There's been a lot of calls for information and asking about flu shots this season."
While students aren't at a high risk for influenza, ages 15 to 24 are high-risk ages for meningitis, said Jacqueline De Fouw, the main health educator for the Student Health Services.
"College freshman living in a dorm are the highest risk," she said. Meningitis is caused by bacteria and can be serious for those who are infected.
"One in five people with meningitis die," she said. "One in five people with meningitis develop disabilities due to amputation or other complications."
Student Health Services tries to get information about meningitis to students living in the dorms because the group is at such high risk. While laws have passed to provide students with information, vaccination is not mandatory. Cases have grown over the last decade and some universities have had outbreaks. The student populations on college campuses are larger now, and students normally try new things and places. People come from all over, bring new germs with them and students are in closer contact, De Fouw said.
"Meningococcal meningitis is the only disease that can kill a healthy young person in 24 hours," she said. Finding quick medical attention is important to prevent death or disability.
"Lack of sleep, poor diet, insufficient exercise, stress, smoking and drinking all hurt the immune systems of students," she said. Student lifestyles can increase their risk factors for all illnesses. "The only thing I know is it can be really deadly," said Kristen Terry, a U of M student who lives in Smith, "but I don't know that much about meningitis."
The student Health Services follow the calendar year when choosing topics for their booths and vary the locations and days to catch different groups of students. Recent booths covered alcohol, cholesterol and breast and testicular cancer awareness. Next Tuesday, their booth will cover sexually transmitted diseases in the University Center from 11 to 1 p.m.
