https://nypost.com/2020/01/16/rising...re-meningitis/

When Valentina Sanna developed flu-like symptoms and a headache on Boxing Day, her family assumed she just had a bad cold.

And given the youngster was a perfectly fit and healthy 14-year-old ? the last thing to cross their minds was that Valentina?s life was on the line.

However, just days later on New Year?s Day, Valentina, from northwest England passed away after contracting a rare form of meningitis.

Her heartbroken father Alberto, 48, has since described his late daughter as ?extremely kind and extremely beautiful.?

And he added that his wife and two other daughters felt ?lucky to have her for 14 years? despite being left completely devastated by her loss.

Valentina, who trained at the Royal Ballet School, first developed her symptoms after traveling to Sardinia ? where her family is from ? for their annual Christmas trip.

Her father says she displayed flu-like symptoms and had complained about having a headache on Boxing Day.

When her symptoms began to worsen, her family took her to the hospital on December 29.

?It was immediately clear that this was to be treated urgently, so they started straight away with antibiotics,? Alberto said.

Valentina spent three days in hospital battling a rare form of meningitis before tragically passing away on New Year?s Day.

Her death came ?completely unexpectedly? to her family, her father said.

Valentina?s organs were donated following her death, saving the lives of four people.

Her father said that it had eased their sorrow known that someone else was getting a new life.

Prior to her death, Valentina had trained up to six days a week at Procter Dance Academy in Crosby before earning a place at the Royal Ballet School.

She performed at the 2019 Dance World Cup in Braga, Portugal, where she represented England in her category.

Valentina also took part in the associate programs of the Royal Ballet School and Central Ballet School, and performed in The Nutcracker at the Royal Albert Hall with Royal Birmingham Ballet.

Her father, who is a professional musician, described her as ?extremely elegant and graceful? and said that this was something everyone would notice about her.

?People noticed how she used to tiptoe into a room. She was very kind and very gentle,? he said.

?We thought she was very musical. She was always perfectly timed and just really, really beautiful.?

Away from dancing, Alberto said that Valentina was academically ?one of the best in her class? and had a good group of friends.

?She loved and was loved very much. We couldn?t have asked for any more, life will be very different without her,? he said.

Valentina?s family are hoping to set up a charity in order to honour Valentina?s commitment to dance, and to remember her by.

?We will set up a charity in her memory to help aspiring classical dancers and other young artists to achieve their dreams without forgetting the values of respect, love, commitment and elegance Valentina cherished so much,? Alberto said.