West Bloomfield, MI -- (ReleaseWire) -- 05/08/2014 --What do you do with your sadness and your grief when faced with the loss of your child?

You stand up and make a difference so that others won’t feel the same pain and that is what Alicia and Michael Stillman have done in this past year since loosing their daughter, Emily. Emily was nineteen and attending Kalamazoo College when she passed away when she contracted Bexsero Meningococcal B (Men B). This is the same disease that has had recent outbreaks on the campus of Princeton and the University of California Santa Barbra.

Just recently, friends of the Stillman family received this email with a call to action showing the strength and tenacity of the Stillman family.

“Dear friends,

It is my pleasure to share some exciting news with you. I am proud to announce that I have completed all of the necessary details to take a group of people across the border, into Windsor, to get vaccinated with the Bexsero Meningococcal B (Men B) vaccine. The vaccine requires two doses and I have made arrangements for the administering of the doses on two Sunday afternoons, the first in May and the later in June.

The vaccine, which is produced by Novartis, is the same vaccine that the CDC and the FDA, by issuing a "compassionate release", provided for the students and staff on the Princeton and UCSB campuses. It is the vaccine that all incoming freshmen will be offered at Princeton this fall 2014. It is also the vaccine that has been approved for use in the UK, as well as Canada. In fact last week the UK issued a new position statement recommending use of the vaccine beginning at 2 months of age. Unfortunately, this vaccine is not yet approved in the United States.
This is the vaccine that may have prevented Emily from contracting
Meningitis B.”

Though the FDA has approved it's use in the two recent college outbreaks, and has announced they are "fast-tracking" it's approval, this vaccine is not yet available in the United States. The Emily Stillman Fund will provide a bus that will transport all registered participants on Sunday, May 18th and Sunday June 22nd at 2:00p.m. from 30057 Orchard Lake Road to Windsor. Passports are required. Participants will present their completed health and a signed waiver, to a waiting physician and nurse practitioners at a local Windsor Pharmacy the Stillman Family is working with. Once they approve the forms, the pharmacist will administer the vaccine.

There are still spots available on the bus. The cost of the two vaccines, together with the doctor consultation is $300.00 per person ($130 per dose plus $40 for the doctor visit). The Emily Stillman Fund will be pre-paying this fee, along with covering the transportation charge, and we ask that you generously make a minimum donation of $300.00 to the Fund so that we can continue to help other people obtain vaccinations, including those who may not be able to afford all or part of the costs. Spots are available by registering with Alicia and Michael Stillman mrstillman@aol.com.