A DEVOTED mother from Saltash is preparing to lace up her running shoes for the Cardiff Half Marathon in memory of her daughter, who died of meningitis as a baby.

Amanda Warnett will take on the 13.1-mile challenge on Sunday, October 5, which coincides with World Meningitis Day, raising both funds and awareness for Meningitis Research Foundation (MRF).

Her daughter, Aimee, was just nine months old when she contracted meningococcal septicaemia in August 1988. Initially thought to have a common virus, her condition deteriorated rapidly and she died within hours. The devastating loss shaped Amanda’s life and inspired her long-standing commitment to raising awareness of meningitis.

Since then, Amanda has channelled her grief into running, completing endurance events across the country to support MRF’s life-saving work. She has already run three London Marathons, while her son Morgan is preparing to follow in her footsteps by competing in the 2025 London Marathon for the charity.

Now, Amanda will proudly wear her Team MRF vest once again at the Cardiff Half, part of the prestigious SuperHalfs international running series. She has set herself the personal goal of finishing in under two hours.

“Running has always been my way to feel close to Aimee,” Amanda said. “When I run, I imagine her running wild and free alongside me. On World Meningitis Day, I’ll be thinking of Aimee every step of the way. That’s why I’ve chosen to support Meningitis Research Foundation, because research and awareness can prevent other families from experiencing the pain we went through.”

World Meningitis Day is coordinated globally by MRF and the Confederation of Meningitis Organisations. It is the largest international day of action on meningitis, aimed at saving lives, remembering those lost, and pressing governments and health leaders to prioritise vaccines, treatment and research.

Meningitis is one of the world’s deadliest infectious diseases. It can affect anyone at any time and is capable of killing a healthy person in less than 24 hours. Each year, there are an estimated 2.3 million cases worldwide.

Charlotte Ulett, senior events and community fundraising manager at MRF, praised Amanda’s dedication.

She said: “World Meningitis Day is the global moment to raise awareness of meningitis, and Amanda’s story shows exactly why defeating it matters. By taking on the Cardiff Half in memory of her daughter, she is helping shine a light on the urgent need for action. Through awareness, vaccines and research, we can protect lives and prevent families from experiencing such heartbreaking loss.”

In addition to running, Amanda is also sharing her personal journey through Meningitis in Your Words, an MRF campaign collecting testimonies from families around the world. The aim is to gather 2,030 stories by 2030 – reflecting the World Health Organization’s Global Road Map to Defeat Meningitis by that year. It will be the largest collection of meningitis experiences ever compiled, designed to show international leaders the human impact of the disease.

To find out more about World Meningitis Day, you can visit www.worldmeningitisday.org