Acadia University students get meningitis B vaccine to honour late classmate

Kai Matthews' parents looked out over the faces of Acadia University students in front of them, moments away from receiving the vaccine for meningitis B that could have saved their son's life.

Matthews died in June after contracting an infection caused by the bacteria called meningococcal type B. The 19-year-old Halifax man had just finished his first year studying kinesiology at Acadia.

On Friday, 121 students rolled up their sleeves as Matthews's parents helped launch a vaccine program on campus.

"It's unimaginable to lose a child, especially to a preventable disease. The only way we can wrap our heads around it is try to make something good come out of that," his father Norrie said Friday alongside his wife Kari as students lined up for the shot behind them.

"It's just a lot of love in this room, a lot of strength, a lot of honouring of Kai."

Kai's family first spoke out this summer about the importance of the vaccine and knowing the symptoms of meningitis B, since they had no idea what was originally wrong with him. They said about 16 hours passed between the first time Kai was brought to the ER and when he was given antibiotics.

They soon launched a campaign and website, B for Kai, to share his story and let people know that meningitis B can quickly turn fatal. Statistics show one in 10 people who contract meningitis B will die from it.

Norrie said they were shocked to learn that Nova Scotians have to ask their primary care providers for meningococcal B vaccine, and pay for it out of pocket. He said no province or territory currently covers the cost of the $300 two-dose vaccine.

The high cost gave the Matthews family the drive to fundraise and cover the cost for any Acadia students who wanted it.

Logan MacDonald, a friend of Matthews and second-year Acadia student, said he'd gotten the vaccine soon after Kai's death.

He said he was happy to see more people getting immunized because meningitis B is a "scary, scary" thing that can come out of nowhere.

"It's a crazy impact that B for Kai has had on not just Acadia, but all of Nova Scotia these past few months. It's been a great thing," MacDonald said.

Through the Acadia partnership, Norrie said they've raised nearly $60,000 thanks to donations and merchandise sales from all over the province, Canada, and the world. Before the university came on board they'd brought in $50,000, bringing their total to more than $100,000 for education and vaccine clinics.

"The support that we've gotten is just overwhelming. It's really what's been able to get us through these months and days," Kari said.

Peter Ricketts, Acadia president, said Friday that the worst moments of his job are hearing about the loss of a student.

The school has dealt with meningitis B before, Ricketts said, most recently in 2015 when one student died from an outbreak on campus.

Talking with the parents is always heart-wrenching, he said, but with the Matthews he knew they could do something to preserve Kai's legacy at Acadia.

"We really wanted this time to make sure that we utilize this tragic situation to make sure that we don't forget about it going forward," Ricketts said. "Lives will be saved."

Norrie told CBC's Information Morning on Friday that the free vaccine clinics will continue the rest of the school year. 

They've also met with Premier Tim Houston who "genuinely" listened to their request for a formal review of the province's policy on the vaccine, Norrie said. He's hopeful change will come thanks to the current attention on health care reform in Nova Scotia, but until then they will keep fundraising and pushing on their own. 

"Kai is with us all the time. He is with all of his friends. He's giving us the strength to fight the fight that he didn't have the chance to fight for himself," Norrie said.

Ricketts added that their school has also been talking directly with provincial Public Health about the campus program and their desire to have the vaccine provincially covered.