Pain continues for meningococcal disease victim's family

Like most young people out flatting, 25-year-old Nileema Sharan would call home at weekends, and talk briefly with her mother, Radhika Mani, before asking for her sister, Pritika.

"Normally young people when they call they say, 'Hi mum, how are you doing, what are you cooking, that sort of thing'," Ms Mani said.

"She rang me that Sunday morning ... and she said to me 'Mum, I know Pritika is out today. I only called specially for you because I missed you.' She said to me, 'I love you'."

Nileema and her mother agreed to meet for coffee but Ms Mani was sick and they delayed it.

Five days later - on July 26 last year - Nileema had died from meningococcal septicaemia after medical staff failed to diagnose the deadly illness.

"I think ... in a spiritual sense, unknowingly, she was saying goodbye to me ... that is the thing that is stuck in my brain.

"The more I think about it, the more I am sort of beating myself up for not going, there and then," Ms Mani said.

"Up until now I've been believing that she might just call me one day.

"It will take us a long, long time to forgive that a young girl that could have lived has just died unnecessarily."

Pritika, who was with her sister as she waited to be seen at Wellington Hospital emergency department, and who then took her to a doctor at an after-hours medical centre, tries not to dwell on that night.

"You have to remember the good times that we had, just basically try and celebrate her life really, rather than her death.

"Otherwise we wouldn't be able to go on."

Nileema wanted to become a flight attendant and took a hotel reception job to gain experience in the travel industry.

"Nileema was full of life," Ms Mani said. "She would come into a room and smile, it would just light the room." Ms Mani and Pritika hope hospital managers will act on the coroner's recommendations.

Ms Mani said she no longer felt anger or bitterness.

"I've lost my daughter. I'm still grieving over her. At the same time, I'm a practical person, too. I think what good can come out of it that can benefit other people?

"I would tell other parents that if they are taking their kids to the hospital, please, don't actually let doctors or nurses intimidate you. When they say no, push your way through them.

"Tell them I want this to be done to my daughter, I want a blood pressure to be done, I want you to check the temperature. Obviously it's come to a stage where we have to really push ourselves."

- NZPA