Aussie woman dies from infection after returning from Bali girls' trip
The parents of Bella Fidler, 23, are now campaigning for change after their daughter died from a preventable disease.
After returning home from a holiday in Bali where she celebrated the completion of her law degree, Bella Fidler told her parents she didn't "feel right", before suddenly dying from a preventable disease.
The 23-year-old experienced "flu-like symptoms" and suspected COVID-19 when she presented herself to a Gold Coast hospital last December, before rapidly becoming "critically ill".
"The doctors eventually diagnosed her with bacterial meningitis," her parents, Blair and Jodie, shared in a statement to Meningitis Centre Australia, after she reportedly suffered a seizure.
"Within hours our lives were shattered by the devastating news that Bella had suffered extensive brain damage and was not expected to survive."
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Like many teens, Bella was immunised against some meningococcal strains in high school, yet in this instance the vaccine offered little resistance to the disease which killed her late last year.
"We later found out that the national immunisation program schedule does not include the deadly meningococcal B strain," her parents explained.
The family are now speaking out, eager to raise awareness that a vaccine for the B strain is available. It costs $200 and they are calling on the Queensland government to include it in the free immunisation program. South Australia is the only state that funds a vaccination program for meningococcal B. Other states only provide it free for people in certain at-risk groups.
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According to the Department of Health and Aged Care, strain B is the most prevalent in Australia, with 396 Aussie deaths recorded between 1997 and 2016 due to the disease.
"A sudden death like this sends shockwaves that resonate far wider and longer than anyone can imagine," Bella's parents said.
"Bella epitomised joy for life and we feel so blessed that she was able to have so many wonderful experiences and adventures during her short time here on earth."
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