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Template Op-ed for Campus NewspapersBelow is a template op-ed that can be customized by a representative of your fraternity, sorority, or campus group and submitted to your campus newspaper or website. Op-eds offer an opportunity to spread the word about meningitis, explain why you have taken the Pledge2Prevent and encourage others to do the same. There are a few facts you should check before sending this letter:Does your school or state require any meningococcal vaccines to enter college or to live in dorms? Check here for state information and with your school health center for school-specific information.Where can students go to get vaccinated for MenACWY and MenB vaccines? Check with your school health center and local pharmacies.Have there been any recent cases of meningococcal disease on your campus or at a nearby school? If so, incorporate information about this in your op-ed.(~600 Words plus a Sidebar)FILL IN BRACKETED AREAS AND DELETE THE ABOVE BEFORE DISTRIBUTIONFighting Bacterial Meningitis on CampusWhy You Should Join Me in Taking the #Pledge2PreventIn the past three years, at least 34 U.S. college campuses were impacted by a fast-acting and dangerous infection called meningococcal disease, better known as bacterial meningitis. You may be thinking, “I had the meningitis shot before college, so I’m all set.” Keep reading because now there are two types of vaccines that can help prevent meningitis and you’re only halfway there if you’ve had just one. [NAME OF ORGANIZATION] has always been committed to [INSERT VALUES, E.G., SERVICE, WELL BEING, ETC]. That is why, over the next few weeks, we are asking all [NAME OF SCHOOL] students to join us in taking a #Pledge2Prevent meningitis on campus.Why are we concerned for our campus? Statistically, meningococcal disease is rare, but its impact can be devastating. Ten to 15 percent of those who get it will die, and one in five survivors are left with permanent complications, such as limb amputations, hearing loss or organ damage. And adolescents (which includes teens) and young adults have an increased risk of getting the disease. Meningococcal disease can be hard to recognize, but it can also make you very sick, very fast. Initial symptoms, like headache, fever and sore throat, mimic the flu or other illnesses. In a few hours, symptoms can progress to include nausea, stiff neck, sensitivity to light and a purplish rash. Within 24 hours from the onset of symptoms, the disease can lead to seizures, delirium and death.Several campuses have experienced outbreaks in recent years that impacted multiple students, including Princeton University, Santa Clara University, the University of Oregon and Providence College. Many others across the country have had isolated cases in individual students that nonetheless reverberate through the entire school community.The best thing you can do to fight bacterial meningitis is to get vaccinated. There are five major types (or serogroups) of the disease: A, B, C, W and Y. MenACWY, the vaccine that has long been recommended for teens and young adults and is required by many universities [including NAME OF SCHOOL IF REQUIRED—add only if applicable], helps prevent four types. Until recently, it was the only prevention option, but now there are vaccines to help prevent the fifth strain – MenB. This is an important development because serogroup B is the most common cause of recent outbreaks on college campuses.The National Meningitis Association (NMA) is an organization founded by families who were affected by meningococcal disease, including college-age students who had the infection. NMA urges all college students to get vaccinated with both vaccines in order to reduce their risk of infection as much as possible. This includes making sure you received a pre-college MenACWY booster and the MenB vaccine. [If your school requires a MenACWY for entry, add: You likely received the booster to meet admission requirements.][INSERT NAME OF SCHOOL] students can receive both vaccines at [HEALTH SERVICE OR PHARMACY NAME. Note: Check where vaccination is available for MenACWY and MenB in your local area before completing.]Vaccination offers the best chance of prevention, but it can’t prevent every case. It’s also important to learn more about meningococcal disease symptoms, which you can do by visiting NMA’s website: . It is impossible to predict who will get meningococcal disease and when and where outbreaks will occur. But we can all take steps toward preventing it. That is why I’m taking the #Pledge2Prevent. I hope you’ll join me by learning more about meningococcal disease and getting vaccinated [if applicable, add: and signing our petition, attending our event on insert date]. Personal Stories: SidebarNote: Personal stories from college students who had meningococcal disease can be a powerful way of illustrating its impact. Below are several stories that can be included in your op-ed as either text or video. Consider including one or more of the below in the body of your op-ed if your paper or website doesn’t accommodate a sidebar.Video Stories:If you are a healthy young student, you may feel unstoppable. Why worry about meningitis? Consider the stories of these students and families: (Hyperlink to Pledge2Prevent Video TBC)Text Stories:If you are a healthy young student, you may feel unstoppable. Why worry about meningitis? Consider the story of Kolton Kersten… Kolton was a collegiate wrestler who ranked second in the nation when he suddenly felt achy and exhausted at practice one day. His doctor thought he had “mono” and sent him to his dorm where he began vomiting. When Kolton later became unresponsive and developed a purplish rash on his arms and legs, his roommate rushed him to the ER. Kolton was in the hospital for more than three weeks, lost 65 pounds and was left with scars all over his arms and legs. He had received the MenACWY vaccine, but he contracted Serogroup B meningococcal disease.“Fighting meningitis was the biggest obstacle I ever faced. The pain was so intense at times I didn’t want to live. I urge every student to learn about meningitis and get both vaccines.”orIf you are a healthy young student, you may feel unstoppable. Why worry about meningitis? Consider the story of Claudette Lewis… Claudette’s daughter Cherice was an outstanding student and a healthy young woman with dreams of becoming a doctor. During spring break of her sophomore year, Cherice developed an upset stomach, high fever and stiff neck. She went to the school’s health services where she was diagnosed with the flu and told to go home and rest. The next morning, Cherice’s roommate discovered she had passed away during the night. It was only after Cherice’s death that Claudette learned vaccination might have saved her daughter’s life.“Losing Cherice turned my world upside down. I want all college students to learn about meningococcal disease and get vaccinated even if it’s not required by your college or state.”### ................
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