In 2019, at 18 years old and in her final year of high school, Phoebe contracted Meningitis B. Before getting sick, Pheobe was active and sporty - then her life changed overnight. The meningitis caused severe swelling around her brain, and she underwent emergency brain surgery in a life-or-death situation. While her friends were enjoying their final year of school, Phoebe was focused on survival and recovery.

"I’ve always dreamed of becoming a police officer, which meant learning to run again. At first, I couldn’t even run 500 metres - but through determination I kept going."

Now, after once fighting for her life in ICU, Phoebe is running her third half marathon - this time using her journey to raise awareness and funds for meningitis vaccination campaigns, including at university open days. You can learn more about Phoebe's journey via the youtube link here

The Meningitis Foundation Aotearoa New Zealand receives no government funding and relies entirely on donations. Run by people personally affected by meningitis, it uses funds to deliver awareness campaigns at university and other tertiary facilities open days - including flyers, signage, pens and other promotional materials - to encourage more teenagers to get vaccinated. Support also helps cover travel to universities such as the University of Otago.