Group B Strep Support (GBSS) is the world’s leading charity working to eradicate group B Strep infection in babies. The charity was founded in 1996 by Jane and Robert Plumb, parents of baby Theo Plumb, who died from group B Strep infection.
Group B Streptococcus (GBS or Strep B) is the most common cause of severe infection in newborn babies, causing sepsis, pneumonia or meningitis. On average, every day in the UK two babies develop GBS infection, one of those sick babies dies every week and one survivor is left with long-term disability.
“Following our middle child’s group B Strep infection in 1996, Robert and I found few answers to the questions we had. Luckily, we very quickly made contact with an expert in the field and, after he explained how preventable most group B Strep infection in newborn babies is – and how so few health professionals at the time were aware of good prevention measures – we decided to set up a charity.”
Jane Plumb MBE, ChiEf Executive
Today the charity works in five main areas across the UK:
- Providing information and support to families affected by GBS.
- Raising awareness of GBS among new and expectant parents.
- Providing education services to health professionals so they are better able to prevent, spot and treat GBS infection in babies.
- Providing a voice for all those affected by GBS infection by lobbying politicians and other influential bodies to change NHS and Government policy around GBS.
- Supporting research into GBS, primarily through patient and public involvement.
