HANNAH Olateju was just two years old when her parents were told it was time to say goodbye.
It’s a fate no parent should have to suffer, but Hannah had contracted meningitis and was fighting for her life as the disease took over her body.
While Hannah luckily survived, all four of her limbs had started to die off and she had to have each of them amputated.
Now, Hannah, 24, from Croydon, has beat the odds and shared all about living with her disability.
Speaking on The Confidence Hour, she said: ” I had meningitis when I was 2 years old.
“So the doctors basically gave up on me and told my parents, she’s going to pass away, say goodbye.”
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The meningitis had travelled so far that it had caused gangrene in each of her arms and legs.
Gangrene causes a loss of blood supply, leading the tissue to die and can cause internal poisoning, which Hannah experienced.
“The meningitis caused something called gangrene which is poison and it made all of my internal organs fail,” she explained.
“What had happened is they had to amputate because the end of the limbs had actually died. The flesh turns black.”
Fortunately for Hannah, her legs were amputated just below the knee meaning she is still able to walk without prosthetics.
Her arms were amputated at the elbow, meaning she is still able to complete most daily tasks.
But while Hannah can look on the bright side, her life hasn’t always been easy.
From dating to making friends at school, Hannah has faced discrimination because of her condition.
“People do tend to ask me like, “Oh, how did you feel losing your limbs?” And I didn’t feel any type of way because I was two,” she added.
“So that was my normal.”
WHAT IS MENINGITIS AND WHAT ARE THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS?
Meningitis is usually caused by bacteria, viruses or fungi that invade the body and cause the protective lining around the brain and spinal cord to swell up.
It is usually caught from people who carry these viruses or bacteria in their nose or throat but are not ill themselves.
It can be spread through sneezing, coughing, kissing and sharing utensils, cutlery and toothbrushes.
Anyone can get meningitis but it’s more common in babies and young children, teenagers and young adults, elderly people and those with a weak immune system, such as those having chemotherapy.
SPOT THE SIGNS
Symptoms of meningitis develop suddenly and can appear in any order. Some might not appear at all. They can include:
- a high temperature fever of 38C or above
- cold hands and feet
- vomiting
- confusion
- breathing quickly
- muscle and joint pain
- pale, mottled or blotchy skin
- spots or a rash
- headache
- a stiff neck
- a dislike of bright lights
- being very sleepy or difficult to wake
- fits (seizures)
- Babies may also refuse feeds, be irritable, have a high-pitched cry, have a stiff body or be floppy or unresponsive, have a bulging soft spot on the top of their head
- Someone with meningitis, septicaemia or meningococcal disease can deteriorate very quickly. Call 999 or go to A&E if you think your or your child might be seriously ill.
Source: NHS ENGLAND
Hannah recalls that she only realised she was different while attending secondary school.
“I realised, ‘Oh my gosh, I don’t have limbs. There’s certain things that I can’t do, even at PE or cooking,” she said.
Hannah was able to overcome her struggles and revealed she was never that interested in school, always dreaming of running a business instead.
“I really struggled in school. I did not like school,” she explained. “I wasn’t a good grade kid. I was ready for the real world.”
So when she left, Hannah decided to carve her own path and began posting online.
She started with lifestyle content and quickly became a body positive influencer, now boasting 118k followers on Instagram.
And her journey hasn’t stopped there, she’s also walked in two Fashion Week shows.
Hannah has also had to navigate the dating world and says her disability has been a blessing when it comes to her love life.
“I feel like my disability is kind of like a filter, to filter out like rubbish people,” she said.
While single at the moment, Hannah is waiting for Mr Right to come along and has a few non-negotiables for when he does.
Hannah added: “I’m not a cheap person. I need someone to take care of me.
“I make my own money, but my money is for me. And his money is for me, too.”
But for now, Hannah has had to deal with some pretty bad dates, saying men get even worse because of her disability.
“It gets even more entertaining when you’re disabled and the men just say the most bizarre, the stupidest stuff,” she explained.
She recalled one time a man she was going on a first date with tried to leave his backpack in her room for later.
When she pushed him, he told her it had his toothbrush and condoms inside, ready for the night, and she instantly told him to get lost.
Currently, Hannah is focusing on the social media agency she runs where she helps brands and content creators come together to make adverts.
For those who still treat Hannah differently she said she hopes they can change their mind.
“We are all just normal people,” she said. “We all desire love. We all desire happiness.
“We all want to have that like a house and a car and marriage and it’s all the same stuff.
“So what makes me different is nothing really apart from my physical body.”
