Before They Were Preventable
When I was eleven years old I learned why my maternal grandmother and my mother have always been vehemently pro-vaccine. It was the day I…
Talking about Rotary’s End Polio Mission
Rotary International has worked for decades to deliver polio vaccines to the most remote corners of the world in order to eradicate polio permanently from the…
Mikey and His Grandma: A Vaccine Story
“Mandy, can he try Jello?” my mother asks me conspiratorially, as she cuddles her last grandchild in her arms at the Chinese buffet. Mikey Wale…
How Effective Are Childhood Vaccines?
Modern vaccines are very effective. But nothing is 100% effective. As people know, children can – sadly – be harmed in a car accident even…
Vaccines and Autism: One Doctor’s Personal Story
There has been a lot of talk since 1998 as to whether vaccines cause autism. Though I have been loath to enter this conversation, it…
The Dreadful Swiftness of Disease
It was September of 1951, the year I was born. I was only five months old -- too young to remember the details -- but…
Making the hard choice to protect
My son, H, had his 12 month well visit one Friday where he received the pneumonia, MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella), and Hepatitis A vaccinations.…
Learning from the Past: Gae’s Story
I am a sixty-nine year old Australian, which means that I benefited from a totally free childhood immunization program.  I started school in 1949 and was…