Man immunised against meningococcal B hit by W strain

This man thought he was protected from meningococcal disease because he had been immunised, but it wasn’t that simple.

Sebastian McInerney in his wheelchair

SEBASTIAN McInerney thought he was protected from meningococcal disease because he had been immunised against the most prevalent B strain.

But the 24-year-old former Gold Coast barber was struck down with the W strain on January 5 last year, and is now a multiple amputee.

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“I went for a 12km beach run and came home feeling like crap so went to bed around 5pm, thinking it was a 24-hour bug because I’d started vomiting and had diarrhoea,” Mr McInerney said.

“By 9am the next morning, I was really sick and mum came to check on me in the shower and said, ‘what are those two bruises on your back?’, then she took me straight to hospital.”

Mr McInerney spent 11 days in an induced coma and more than six months in hospital, including three months on kidney dialysis.

Sebastian McInerney was lucky to survive.

Sebastian McInerney in intensive care

He lost part of his right leg, most of his left foot and eight fingers. He has skin and tissue damage, nerve pain, muscle soreness and hearing loss.

“It took a long time to accept what was going on but it opened my eyes to things I took for granted, like the simple movement of a toe.

“Don’t think it won’t happen to you – there is no safe option against this disease other than full vaccination.”

Mr McInerney, who has a twin Dalton and younger brother Connor, is now fitted with prosthetic limbs and training to quality for the 100m sprint at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics.

Sebastian McInerney is adjusting to life as an amputee.

Sebastian McInerney previously worked as a barber.

He is also trying to raise money for “fake fingers”, which cost around $10,000 per digit, so he can resume his career.

“He is truly an amazing soul with massive strength and determination,” said his mother Natasha McInerney, who has set up a GoFundMe page to help with ongoing medical costs.

“The expense of the everyday supports he needs is enormous, but he has never lost his spirit through this journey,” she said.