Local mother gives awareness to meningitis
by Megan Rinerson, WJON.com

ST. CLOUD -- Meningitis is a serious disease and a local mother is representing St. Cloud in the effort to bring awareness to the disease.

Ginny Marso is a member of an awareness coalition called “Moms on Meningitis”. Marso has a son that was diagnosed with bacterial meningitis four years ago.  She says her son has many amputations due to gangrene a common outcome from bacterial meningitis.

Marso says now that  kids are planning on going to summer camp, they will have a higher risk of contracting the disease due to the close quarters they stay in.  But, she says meningitis is preventable in some forms.

Meningitis could also be a viral disease that is less severe. There are five different forms of bacterial meningitis.

Four out of the five forms are preventable with a vaccine.

Marso says her son has the form that is not preventable with a vaccine. She says the only way to prevent the fifth form is not to exchange saliva with anyone. For example, don't share forks, chapstick, or glasses and watch out for people who sneeze.

Marso will be speaking to students at Cathedral high school Wednesday at 9:00 a.m.

Resources: 
Learn more and watch a video created by the National Meningitis Association
Audio: Local mother gives awareness to meningitis