"Protecting Our Tomorrows"

Photographer Anne Geddes took portraits of survivors of a devastating childhood illness for the book and exhibit, "Protecting Our Tomorrows: Portraits of Meningococcal Disease." The book is available free on iBooks.

"I've been a photographer for 30 years, and it's the most significant thing I've ever done," she told CBS News.

The project was a partnership with Novartis Vaccines and the Confederation of Meningitis Organisations. The disease quickly attacks its victims, often infants, children and teens. It can be treated with antibiotics, but 10 to 15 percent of patients die, and many of those who survive are left with brain damage, hearing loss or the amputation of limbs.

Protecting Our Tomorrows

Bernadette, age 6, from Australia, contracted meningococcal disease when she was 3 years old. She had to have her legs amputated below the knee and also lost several fingers.

Protecting Our Tomorrows

Aaron, age 10, from Ireland, became ill when he was just 14 days old. He spent two weeks in the hospital and recovered, but has some learning disablilites because of the disease.

Protecting Our Tomorrows

Amber, age 5, from the United Kingdom, became ill when she was 2 years old and doctors had to amputate parts of both of her arms and legs.

Protecting Our Tomorrows

Danielle, 20, from Australia, fell ill when she was 14 months old. She survived after weeks of intensive care and amputations.

Protecting Our Tomorrows

Benjamin, age 15, from Canada, was diagnosed with meningococcal disease when he was 4 months old. The disease caused brain damage and he lost his leg, right hand and several fingers on his left hand.

Protecting Our Tomorrows

Elias, age 7, from Germany, contracted meningococcal disease when he was 2 years old. He was left with scarring across his body and had both legs amputated.

Protecting Our Tomorrows

Kate, age 18, from Canada, had just returned home from a summer as a camp counselor when she contracted meningococcal disease. She was left with purple scars on her legs.

Protecting Our Tomorrows

Jamie, 25, from the United States, was a 20-year-old college sophomore when she contracted the disease, originally thinking it was an asthma attack.

She worked to pass Senate Bill 819 (The Jamie Schanbaum Act) in 2009 requiring meningitis vaccinations for college students in her home state of Texas.

Protecting Our Tomorrows

Harvey, age 8, from the United Kingdom, had just learned to walk when he became ill. Doctors amputated his legs and the fingers of his right hand.

Protecting Our Tomorrows

Ellie May, age 9, from the United Kingdom, contracted the disease when she was 16 months old, but her twin sister, Sophie did not.

Protecting Our Tomorrows

Julio, age 15, from Brazil, was 12 when he began experiencing flu-like symptoms that proved to be meningococcal disease.

Protecting Our Tomorrows

Mackenzie, age 9, from Australia, known as Mackie, contracted the disease when he was 3 years old. Over the course of a slow recovery he lost all of his fingertips and the toes of his right foot.

Protecting Our Tomorrows

Matteo, age 9 months, from Canada, was diagnosed when he was 4 months old.

Protecting Our Tomorrows

Megan, age 11, from Canada, was 2 years old when she contracted the disease. She lost both of her legs and nine fingertips.

Protecting Our Tomorrows

Victoria, age 5, from Spain, was diagnosed with meningococcal disease when she was 4 and is still recovering.

Protecting Our Tomorrows

Anne Geddes photographs the project "Protecting Our Tomorrows: Portraits of Meningococcal Disease."