PATIENT STORIES
At LISSSD 2025, we’re honoured to feature streptococcal stories from around the world, as told by the affected individuals, their families, and communities. You can see these and other stories here.
Click the videos and images to play.
Ruth & Ivan and Viola recount their babies’
survival against GBS
St George’s University of London, Makerere University Johns Hopkins Research Collaboration, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
Listen to two families from Uganda sharing the stories of their babies’ survival against group B streptococcal infection. The families were enrolled in a collaborative study between research groups in the UK, Uganda and USA.
Surviving and thriving following GAS sepsis
Listen to Mia and her mother Amy share their inspiring story, recorded specially in Australia for LISSSD 2025, of surviving invasive group A streptococcal infection and adapting to a new life.
Catherine shares her father’s tragic story of
battling against NF
Lee Spark NF Foundation
Listen to Catherine speaking of her father Ian’s brave battle against necrotising fasciitis, recorded specially in the UK for LISSSD 2025.
Founder of Lee Spark NFF shares her story of Lee’s tragic battle against NF
Lee Spark NF Foundation
Listen to Doreen as she recounts the story of her son Lee’s tragic fight against necrotising fasciitis and the creating of the UK patient support group. Doreen (Dee) recorded this specially for LISSSD 2025.
Rebecca shares her own story of surviving NF
Lee Spark NF Foundation
Listen to Rebecca’s amazing story from Australia of surviving post-surgical necrotising fasciitis. Rebecca recorded this video specially for LISSSD 2025.
Anna shares the story of Olly’s first few hours of life
when GBS pneumonia became apparent
Group B Strep Support
Anna, from the UK, recounts how the happy moments after her son’s birth were rapidly replaced with a feeling that something wasn’t quite right. Several years on, with Olly full of life, Anna remains acutely aware of how his story might have ended differently.
Anu’s lived experience, growing up with
rheumatic heart disease in Nepal
World Health Organisation
Anu found out she had Rheumatic Heart Disease at 11. She has undergone two open heart surgeries including a mechanical heart valve operation. This is her story.
Lived experiences of rheumatic heart disease at Broome Regional Aboriginal Medical Service
Broome Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (BRAMS), Heart Foundation, and Menzies School of Health Research
Charlette, Soleil, Tamsen, Jade, Laurenzia, Tracin, and Sam speak in a series of videos about different aspects of living with RHD.
Tenaya’s rheumatic heart disease journey
The Kids Research Institute Australia
When she was just 7 years old, Tenaya needed emergency life-saving surgery to repair her heart valve as a result of developing rheumatic heart disease. Hear from Tenaya, her family, clinicians and researchers helping her and working to stop the cruel impact of rheumatic heart disease.
Young people and families in the SubCutaneous Injection of Penicillin to prevent Rheumatic Heart Disease (SCIP) trial
University of Otago, New Zealand
Patients, families, and healthcare workers reflect on their experiences in the SCIP trial, highlighting that subcutaneous penicillin injections may be a less painful and longer lasting alternative to traditional intramuscular injections.
The face of surging invasive Strep A disease,
Gursirat’s story
Murdoch Children’s Research Institute
Gursirat and her parents tell the story of surviving severe invasive Strep A disease.
Adele and her parents tell her streptococcal survival story
The Kids Research Institute Australia
9-year old Adele fell ill with invasive Strep A disease in 2024 Her parents, Trent and Cassie, tell her story.
Paving the Way for a Strep A Vaccine that Benefits the World – the Strep A Vaccine Global Consortium
SAVAC
Patients, families, and professionals discuss the impact of Strep A diseases and global efforts to accelerate development of a much-needed vaccine.
Streets Beach, Brisbane