It was nearly two decades after Erica Burleigh became legally blind after contracting meningococcal B that she learned a teenager in her home state Tasmania had died from the disease.
"I said, we need to do something," she told AAP of her reaction.
That revelation became a campaign to make the meningococcal B vaccine free.
Just four weeks later it took her into meetings with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Health Minister Greg Hunt in Canberra.
Mr Turnbull addressed parliament on the issue during question time on Tuesday, ahead of his meeting with the 34-year-old.
He revealed he can't make the vaccine free off his own bat.
To be listed on the the National Immunisation Program, which makes vaccines available free to Australians at various ages, it must be recommended by an expert committee.
Mr Turnbull has urged a company that makes the life-saving vaccine to make another attempt at becoming listed, which would mean it receives government subsidies.
GlaxoSmithKline has so far made three attempts to have its meningococcal B vaccine put on the program, with the most recent being in mid-2015.
"We are urging the sponsor company to resubmit their application at the earliest opportunity, with more evidence on the vaccine's effectiveness," Mr Turnbull said during question time.
"If the pharmaceutical benefits advisory committee recommends it, we will list it."
Ms Burleigh, who has been campaigning alongside her friend Kacee Johnstone, said she is interested in speaking with GlaxoSmithKline about whether it intends to make another application.
AAP has contacted the company for comment.
Despite that hurdle, Ms Burleigh said she was pleased the government was working with peak health groups to rollout a program that would help educate doctors on meningococcal symptoms.
She said after contracting the disease aged 17, her own GP had told her she had the flu.
Five hours later she was in a coma and three days after that she had minimal vision.
The 16-year-old Tasmanian girl who died of the disease in July had a similar story, she said.
"I feel like nothing has changed," Ms Burleigh said.
Another five cases of the disease were confirmed in the state in July.
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten wrote to the prime minister that month to ask what consideration was being given for adding the vaccine to the National Immunisation Program.
He wanted to know what action was being taken to help state and territory governments provide access to it.
Mr Shorten had earlier written in November 2016 asking that children be better protected from the debilitating disease.
The quad-strain meningococcal ACWY vaccine was added to the National Immunisation Program this year.
