A tribute has been paid to 17-year-old Lewis Waters, a sixth-form pupil who tragically lost his life to meningitis. The family of the teenager described themselves as 'heartbroken' following his death.
Lewis was a student at a school in the West Midlands and was a well-liked member of his community. His family has requested that donations be made to the UK-based charity Meningitis Research Foundation in his memory.
The charity works to raise awareness of meningitis and to fund research into the disease. Meningitis is a serious and potentially life-threatening condition that can affect people of all ages, but is most common in children and young adults.
According to the UK's National Health Service (NHS), there were 1,444 cases of meningitis reported in England and Wales in 2020, resulting in 12 deaths. The NHS also notes that there has been a significant decrease in the number of cases and deaths from meningitis in recent years, thanks in part to the introduction of the MenB vaccine.
Friends and family of Lewis have taken to social media to pay tribute to his memory, describing him as 'kind' and 'funny'. A fundraising page has been set up in his honour to raise money for the Meningitis Research Foundation.