When his best mate Brayden Chater died suddenly in November, Corey Daley was left devastated.
Chater died after contracting meningococcal B. He was only 23.
Daley, 24, grew up with Chater in Wollongong but now lives on the Gold Coast.
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“He was just a very kind-hearted person,” Daley said.
“He’d do anything for anyone, he was always there for you.”
Chater was “always there for a good time” and had a “smile that lit up the room”, Daley said.
The 24-year-old Daley moved states following Chater’s death and said it’s been a blessing to be away from home at times.
But some days, like on the six-month anniversary of Brayden’s death a few weeks ago, it feels a very long way away.
He has struggled with the sudden loss of his best mate, but Daley is determined to channel it into something positive.
The grief comes in waves.
“It’s been a rollercoaster,” he said.
“There’s still a very empty feeling.
“I think about his family every day. We keep in contact.”
One of the ways he’s taken care of himself following his loss was by joining a local running club.
“The reason I started running was to help with my mental health,” Daley said.
After learning there was an upcoming marathon, he called Chater’s mum, Stacey Chater, and asked how she would feel about him dedicating the run to his memory.
With her help, he decided to use the opportunity to raise awareness of meningococcal B.
Need for accessible vaccines
After looking into it, Daley was surprised to learn that meningococcal B isn’t something Australians are normally vaccinated against.
There are two different meningococcal vaccines; one for A, C, W and Y strains, and a second vaccine exclusively for the B strain.
Children receive the ACWY vaccine for free, but the meningococcal B vaccine currently costs in all states apart from South Australia.
“It’s $200 per dose,” Daley said. “And you need two doses of it.”
There were more than 100 cases of meningococcal B last year.
“It’s run rampant,” Daley said.
The vaccine needs to be made more accessible, he said.
By raising awareness, he hopes the government will consider making the meningococcal B vaccine free.
A deadly disease
The signs and symptoms of meningococcal B come on quick, Daley said, so it can go unnoticed until it’s too late.
One in 10 who contract the disease die from it, while one in four end up with brain damage or loss of limbs.
Daley is currently raising funds through the Meningitis Centre Australia website.
Money raised will go towards research and towards families who have been affected by the disease.
Daley ran in the Brisbane Marathon last Saturday, and said he knows Chater was cheering him on.
“I know he (was) there with me.”