Game Designer Programs App to Combat Meningitis Fatalities

If there is one thing gamers prove time and time again, it is that in addition to being vulgar and aggressive online personalities, we are a charitable and caring people.

Ciléin Kearns is a 20 year old medical student and game designer from Derry in North Ireland who knows all too well the dangers of septicaemia and meningitis. Both are capable of killing within hours and 1 in 10 people who contract the illness lose their life. Many more are left severely disabled.

This is why Ciléin has created Symptom Scenes; a game endorsed by the Meningitis Research Foundation that features a cast of cute characters. The app tasks players with quickly recognizing symptoms. It is not hard to see the real life applications of Symptom Scenes.

Chris Head, Chief Executive of MRF said: “Meningitis and septicaemia can affect people of all ages, striking in minutes and killing in hours. We have our own iPhone app (‘Meningitis – Know the Symptoms’) which has proved popular with students since it was launched in 2010 but we’re delighted that Ciléin has come up with another way of raising awareness of these diseases. We hope his app will encourage even more people to be aware of the signs and symptoms and also support the work of MRF which funds vital research into the prevention, detection and treatment of meningitis and septicaemia. ”

Symptom Scenes is now available via the App Store.