Aleina's Story

Aleina’s story

Aleina’s Dad calls her the ‘Million Dollar Baby’, given what he estimates her recovery from meningococcal meningitis has cost the New Zealand health system.

In October 2019, 23-year-old Aleina Beer was fit, healthy, and independent, living just outside Invercargill. Her life before meningococcal disease was filled with activity: hockey, football, kayaking competitions, social badminton. Her biggest passion, above everything else, was horse riding.

But Aleina’s life changed almost overnight when she began experiencing a sore neck, sore throat, and an unusual headache. When Aleina first felt unwell, it seemed like just a bad cold. She was heading out to feed her horse, Pete, when she started feeling spaced out and noticed intense neck pain. While the symptoms didn’t immediately seem alarming, Aleina knew something wasn’t right.

“I called my mum, then I called my aunt, who is a nurse practitioner, and then I called Healthline. Their advice was to visit an urgent care clinic, but it was closed so I went to the emergency department at Southland Hospital instead. The attending doctor there noted a few abnormal observations, including an elevated heart rate, but he wasn’t worried. He did mention meningitis, but he said it was unlikely and sent me home with some paracetamol.”

That decision nearly cost Aleina her life.

Overnight, her condition deteriorated rapidly. By morning she was vomiting, feverish, disoriented and struggling to move. Her mother rushed her to hospital. Despite being admitted, treatment didn’t begin in earnest until a new doctor took over her care later that morning.

By then, Aleina was in multi-organ failure. Her blood had stopped clotting, and her kidneys had shut down. She was airlifted to Dunedin Hospital, where she was placed in an induced coma and spent eight days in intensive care, and a total of three weeks in the ICU, one of the longest stays on the hospital’s record.

She was about to hand in her final assignment to become a qualified massage therapist when she was hospitalised. “The hospital actually organised to transfer me to Invercargill so I could attend my graduation. I stayed two nights just to be part of it. That was really cool.”

Aleina had contracted meningococcal meningitis and sepsis. Her recovery journey was complex and harrowing. She lost four toes due to tissue death, underwent multiple surgeries for skin grafts, and battled repeated infections in her right ankle. After spending Christmas Eve in hospital, what was meant to be her discharge day turned into another emergency surgery due to an undetected infection threatening her leg. In June 2021, after months of pain and uncertainty, she made the decision to have her right leg amputated below the knee. 

Today, Aleina uses a prosthetic leg. In fact, she uses three: one for everyday use, one for horse riding, and a blade she no longer uses due to arthritis in her remaining foot, another complication from the sepsis. She’s learning to live with pain and limited mobility, and still faces more surgeries in the future.

The physical recovery was only part of the challenge. Aleina’s kidneys did not fully recover, and she eventually required peritoneal dialysis for nearly a year. That meant connecting nightly to a dialysis machine, managing boxes of fluids, and sacrificing the freedom most 20-somethings take for granted.

In 2022, she received a life-changing kidney transplant through the Australian and New Zealand Paired Kidney Exchange Program. This transplant could only go ahead because of the selfless actions of Aleina’s brother, Nathan, who donated his kidney so that Aleina could receive one in exchange.

Despite all this, Aleina’s resilient spirit shines. She still rides when she can, often on one of her mum’s horses, and has her sights set on competing again in show jumping and dressage.

“I’m hoping to aim for the Paralympics in Brisbane in 2032. But we’ll see. It's a pretty big goal.”

For now, she’s focused on taking things one step at a time.

Now 29, Aleina is still on the road to recovery, most recently undergoing stump revision surgery to improve her mobility. Despite everything, she continues to face each day with courage and determination.

Aleina has spent the past two years living in Dunedin, flatting independently, and is now preparing to move out again after staying with family temporarily. She has established her own business, Akatore Massage Therapy, named in honour of her family’s roots near the Taieri Mouth area of Otago.

Her story is a powerful reminder of the brutal speed at which meningococcal disease can strike, and the devastating toll it can take—not just physically and emotionally, but financially, on individuals, families, and the health system. Aleina is not just a survivor.

She is a testament to the importance of early diagnosis, equitable access to healthcare, and the need to protect all young people in Aotearoa from preventable diseases like meningitis.

Losing her independence was one of the hardest parts of the experience. “Even just recently I had to stay with Mum and Dad again while I recovered. That was really challenging mentally. I don’t like relying on others. I try to do it all myself.”

When it comes to mental health, she admits it’s something she hasn’t fully addressed.

“I don’t really think about it a lot. I’ve had some counselling, and one older man in particular from Invercargill Hospital was amazing. Really kind and understanding. I don’t remember exactly what we talked about, but I remember feeling better afterward.”

More recently, she’s used simple coping tools like journalling, tapping, and grounding techniques to manage bouts of anxiety. “But I don’t think I’ve processed everything fully yet. That’s something I need to work on next.”

Throughout everything, Aleina has drawn strength from a small circle of close friends.

“Julie, who I grew up with doing pony club, flew down from Wellington as soon as she heard I was sick, even though I was in a coma the whole time she was there. Isaac, who I was head student with, visited me every day in hospital and brought me food when I couldn’t stand the hospital meals. And Sean, who I met through science camp in high school, has always been there too. They’ve really helped me hold it together.” Though none of them live in Dunedin now, they remain her go-to for emotional support.

She also developed strong bonds with the hospital staff. “The ICU team were amazing. When I went in for my amputation, one of the nurses from ICU saw my name and put herself down to be my nurse again. That was really special.” Another memorable connection was with a junior doctor from the renal team.

“He was obsessed with caramel popcorn and used to crack me up. I saw him again in Auckland after my kidney transplant. It was so nice to reconnect.”

Aleina wasn't vaccinated against meningococcal disease.

“It just wasn’t on my radar. I knew what meningitis was, vaguely. I knew about the advice around not sharing drink bottles and that sort of thing. But I didn’t fully understand how serious it could be. If I had, I would’ve 100% got the vaccine.” She believes awareness is crucial.

“Everyone should be getting vaccinated, especially if you're in close contact with other people your age, like in hostels or uni flats. And knowing the signs and symptoms is so important. If I’d known the symptoms better, I’d have been more assertive about getting treatment early. The first time I went into A&E, I felt like I was wasting their time. They told me it was a cold.”

Southland Hospital later issued an apology for the delayed diagnosis and treatment.

Aleina doesn’t want sympathy. She wants action.

“Meningococcal disease isn’t just a bad flu. It changes your life. If hearing my story helps even one person get vaccinated or push for answers when they’re unwell, then it’s worth sharing.”