Back in October of 1999, then-sophomore marching band member Adam Busuttil skipped the MSU versus University of Michigan football game because he thought he had the flu. Over the next few days his life hung in the balance.
Against the odds, Busuttil recovered from contracting the type Y strain of bacterial meningitis.
He plans to graduate from MSU in the spring with a degree in music education, but in the interim, Busuttil's been reaching out to students across the nation to educate them about meningitis and the steps they can take to prevent it.
This month, Busuttil and the Meningitis Foundation of America are working as hard as ever to promote the second annual Meningitis Awareness and Prevention Month.
"It was worth me getting sick to save someone else's life," Busuttil said.
There have been six reported cases of MSU students contracting bacterial meningitis since 1996 and three have been fatal.
The Shelby Township native began to research meningitis soon after he had recovered and joined the foundation's support staff in 2000. Last year, he was elected to its national board of directors.
Busuttil has worked on legal and educational projects with the MFA to help spread awareness of bacterial meningitis.
He has spoke in front of hundreds of high school and college students, appeared in a special television documentary and also has put on benefit concerts with his rock group, Brushfire.
"The more people that know about meningitis, the better off they are. Most of the time when I talk to somebody, they don't realize what it entails, and when they find out, the kids or students go out and get the vaccine," Busuttil said.
While Busuttil and the foundation continue to work on a massive poster campaign, something similar to a project he and University Physician Beth Alexander carried out across MSU the last few years, local clinics are gearing up for the rush of incoming freshmen who need the bacterial meningitis vaccination and information about it.
The Ingham County Health Department, 5303 S. Cedar St., in Lansing, offers the immunization shot for $78, along with a vaccine informational statement.
If students want to get the vaccine on campus, they have the opportunity of heading to the Olin Health Center, located on East Circle Drive between Berkey and Morrill halls.
Neither office requires an appointment for the vaccine, which both say isn't likely to run out.
The shot is $95 at Olin and it's important for incoming students to get vaccinated because if they don't they could experience an account hold in their second semester, said Kathi Braunlich, communication and planning coordinator at the health center.
Braunlich said students should get the vaccination because of their increased risk to contracting bacterial meningitis at a university.
"College students are more at risk because in the residence halls and also in the apartments and house living, there are a lot of people in a close living situation," Braunlich said.
"That makes people more susceptible to not only meningitis, but colds and the flu as well. Meningitis can be found in this age group and it's important for students to be aware and make the decision to get vaccinated."
Education sophomore Heather Lewis got the vaccination last year as an incoming freshman.
"Basically, I got the shot because I know there have been cases of meningitis before in the past and I just wanted to be cautious and protect myself," Lewis said.
While the vaccination might cost students a few bucks, Busuttil insists they still get it, not only to avoid problems with the university, but to save their health.
"I'd rather spend the money than go through losing my fingertips and toes, relearning everyday functions and putting my family through that again," Busuttil said.
