This association was founded to help and support parents by taking into consideration their suffering. It was founded on January 21rst 2000 in Ecouflant by Mr and Mrs VOISINE, Audrey’s parents, who died swiftly of meningitis while she was 12.
Audrey died of a « purpura fulminans », in other words a meningitis caused by meningococcus. If the knowledge about this disease had been more spread among people, the disease would have had less chances to lead Audrey to death.
Mr and Mrs Voisine had the idea to found this association as a tribute to all the victims who died of this disease and to help all the people who are currently concerned and their family. But, what they really intend to do through this association is to communicate about the disease in order to reduce the risk of being affected and suffering from serious consequences.
The association Audrey is an association of parents whose aim is to increase knowledge about the different existing types of meningitis, help people to better understand this disease and to anticipate it.
This association is known not only at a regional scale but also at a national scale since March 2002 which allowed it to launch actions in several regions in France:
- Association Audrey 40 Yohann (Landes)
- Association Audrey 42 Emeric (Loire)
- Association Audrey 76 Régis (Seine Maritime)
- Association Audrey 35 (Ille et Vilaine)
- Association Audrey 22 (Côtes d’Armor)
- Association Audrey 33 (Gironde)
- Association Audrey 59 Steven (Nord)
- Association Audrey 29 Sébastien (Finistère)
Since the creation of this net, the association wants to go on expanding itself towards other regions which will facilitate the work with the local sanitary authorities and improve the efficiency of the local actions.
In Maine-et-Loire, leading department, in September 2001, there was a poster campaign in nursery and elementary schools, day nurseries and waiting rooms of doctors’ offices in order to facilitate an early screening for meningitis.
In 2002, the association organized an evening of information about meningitis with the help of the D.D.A.S.S., the hospital of Angers and Pasteur Institute. That evening was the first step to organize later a complete day about meningitis in Paris at the Health Ministry in November 2003.
In April 2003 the association was invited at the medical Congress of the Espid in Europe and took part in a press conference alongside the British association “Meningitis trust”.
Once the campaign in Maine-et-Loire in 2001 achieved, we began a campaign of information about meningitis caused by meningococcus at the national scale on February 2nd 2004, among the educational field. More concretely, we provided schools (from elementary schools to high schools) with posters and doctors and scholar nurses with leaflets. These actions were supported and financed by Education Ministry and Health Ministry. Together with the national pharmaceutical association flyers and brochures were distributed to pharmacies.
In 2004, three sessions about meningitis were planned. On October 1rst in Bordeaux by the Association Audrey 40 Yohann, on October 14th in Paris in the auditorium of Pasteur Institute and on November 17th in the Town Hall of Lyon.
The association Audrey works in collaboration with Ministry of Family, the family allowance office and the registry office of Angers to supply a psychological and material help. Since 1rst November 2000, the registry office informs the family allowance office to offer the help of a social worker to the families.
Thanks to our action benefits supplied by the State after the child’s death are delivered for three months more as it is mentioned in the law of 1rst January 2004. This is at the origin of our reward namely the title of “Chevalier dans l’ordre national du mérite” which is a national and official distinction for a good and useful action.
We keep on filling the legal vacuum relative to the annual 7000 death of children in France for any reason.
On 22nd 2006 and within the framework of labor laws the Senate adopted a four days leave instead of the former two days leave after a child or a spouse’s death.
In November 2004, a leaflet about bereavement was launched in Maine-et-Loire (in the western part of France) and distributed by the funeral department of the hospital of Angers, the registry office and the family allowance office of Anjou (region of Angers).
Several days of information about meningitis were organized in 2008 – in Strasbourg on 11th March and in Angers on 20th November – and in 2009 – in Lille on 24th March. Such days of prevention and information about meningitis will take place soon at the Ministry of Health in Paris.
The association does its best to create a foundation about meningitis to help better the families concerned.
