.png)
Rachel Lang
At 18 years of age, Aussie teen Ally Behan had her whole life ahead of her.
She had just graduated from Ulladulla High School in NSW, summer was finally approaching, and she was off to a music festival with her friends in Canberra.
But the big day at Spilt Milk would eventually end in tragedy as the teen contracted meningococcal during the party.
She was rushed to Canberra Hospital for treatment where she later died.
Advert
But, even though the hope and promise that her future held was no more, Ally saved other lives that day.
By donating her organs she gave the gift of life, hope, and the possibility of a bright, happy future to five others.
"Ally liked to help people and did just that in her final hours by providing the amazing gift of donating her organs which have gone to save the lives of five different people, one of which is a young child," her family said in a statement to Nine.
Her family described her as a caring, loyal, animal-loving teen who 'was always there for anyone'.
Advert
"Anyone who knew Ally will know that there are no words to describe the widespread devastation that is being felt with the loss of our beautiful girl," the family said in their statement.
The freshly-graduated Ulladulla High School student was described as 'young, energetic and [someone who] loved her family and friends'.
"She was beautiful, both inside and out," the statement added.
Meningococcal is highly infectious and aggressively lethal in some cases, and can be transmitted by saliva or even just close contact with an infected person.
There have been more than 100 meningococcal cases across Australia-wide in 2022, with Ally being one of NSW's three deaths across in the state.
Advert
Meningitis Centre Australia chief executive Karen Quick told news.com.au that hospitals have seen an uptick in cases recently.
"The last few weeks it’s really peaked; spring and around Christmas time is when we see more cases," she said.
Quick also added there had been a higher number of cases for 2022, with the majority of infections due to a strain of meningococcal B, which is the only common type of meningococcal that Year 10 students are not vaccinated for in Australia.
Officials have not confirmed which strain of the disease Ally had.
Advert
Meningococcal infections have also been recorded in teens who went to Schoolies on the Sunshine Coast, according to Courier-Mail.
Health authorities are urging anyone who attended Schoolies or Spilt Milk to watch for symptoms and seek medical attention without hesitation if concerned.
Meningococcal symptoms include severe and unexplained limb pain, fatigue, severe headaches, fatigue, light sensibility, a stiff neck, and a reddish purple rash.