At just 19, Miwa Chapman had her whole life ahead of her. She was an engineering student at the University of Canterbury and had just started her second year.
"She was the apple of my eye," Paul Chapman, Miwa's father, told Newshub.
But at the end of orientation week in 2020, Miwa woke up feeling unwell.
"She had a headache and quite a high temperature," Paul says. "She reassured us that she wasn't feeling great but she was fine and for us not to worry, so we said goodnight and went to bed."
But early the next morning, Paul's wife received a phone call from Christchurch Hospital.
"[They] asked if we could come to the hospital immediately. We said we were in Auckland and they said please come as fast as you can," Paul told Newshub.
On their way to the airport, Paul got the news no parent wants to hear. Miwa had passed away, just 24 hours after first feeling sick.
"We were just in shock .. it was unimaginable."
Paul is one of the 6357 signatures on a petition to fund meningitis vaccines for all Year 11 students, or 16-year-olds. It was presented to Parliament on Thursday and received by National's health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti.
"It's an important piece of work that has been on the agenda for a long period of time. It needs to move off the whiteboard, into people's arms. That's what we're looking to do," Shane says.
To be fully protected, people will need a three-dose course which can cost up to $450.
13 to 25-year-olds qualify for a free vaccine, but only if they are in their first year living in a boarding school hostel, tertiary education hall of residence, military barrack or prison.
"Widening access is on our options for investment list, our list of medicines that we would like to fund, when there is available budget," Pharmac's Director of Operations told Newshub.
The Meningitis Foundation says that dose doesn't cover the deadly meningococcal B strain.
"People can go from really healthy or with first flu-like symptoms, to death within 24-48 hours. It can be that quick," Andrea Brady, Meningitis Foundation Director, told Newshub.
"A high proportion of those that do survive the disease can be left with severe disfigurement, disablement or impairment that will impact them for the rest of their life," Andrea says.
Claire Rushton lost her 16-year-old daughter Courtenay to the disease in 2014. She says if she had known about the vaccine, Courtenay would still be here today.
"I wouldn't wish this on any living body on this earth. I really wouldn't .. we just need to make this happen. There's no question," Claire told Newshub.
"We just need support. We need every party to come together and support us on this and get this protection out there."
