Meningitis Research Foundation

Who we are

Meningitis Research Foundation is a leading UK and international charity working to defeat meningitis wherever it exists.
 
Meningitis and sepsis are together the second biggest infectious killer of children under the age of 5 globally. It strikes quickly and can affect anyone of any age. We are driven by the call of people who have experienced the devastating effects in their lives. Their demand is simple and powerful - to ensure “no other family has to go through what we have”.
 
Our vision is of a world free from meningitis and septicaemia. A world where effective vaccinations can protect everyone.  A world where people who do get the diseases get the most effective diagnosis and treatments possible. A world where people affected and their families have the best support and information.
 
To achieve this, we bring together people and expertise, linking patient experience, research, policy and practice. We do this by supporting research into effective vaccines, diagnostics and treatments. We share results of the research with the public, health care professionals and research networks to raise awareness of what they can do to increase personal, family and community protection, optimise treatments and strengthen health systems.

We provide direct support to people and families affected. We believe that working in partnership the knowledge, experience, skills and finance available from the private sector are essential to achieving long term and sustainable impacts. We fundraise, inform and educate.
 
Over 30 years we have played an instrumental role in helping to reduce death and impairment from meningitis and septicaemia wherever it exists. To achieve this, our incredible supporters have enabled us to fund research in the UK, Europe, North and South America, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Australasia.

We have enabled the initiation of new global roadmap to defeat meningitis by 2030 following a high-level meeting hosted by Wilton Park and organised by MRF in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO). The meeting united experts, patient groups and representatives from countries most affected behind a call for global action. MRF was asked to be part of an expert Task Force by the WHO to take this process forward.

We have also acquired funding to help boost advocacy capacity internationally by helping to strengthening the skills of other patient groups.

More information on MRF can be found in our 2017-2020 organisational strategy and on our website.