Personal Stories


Determination Born From the Loss of a Child

I’ve heard numerous stories of children who have lost their lives to vaccine preventable diseases.  You can read them on the Vaccinate Your Baby website or in the local paper.  You can watch...


Moms Who Vax Are Speaking Out

Last week I heard about a woman, opposed to vaccines, that presents business cards to random strangers, like the pregnant teller at the bank.  The card directs people to information that is intended to deter them from...


Pertussis Problems Persist

Not enough can be done to ensure people are educated about the dangers of pertussis (also known as whooping cough).  That’s why I wanted to highlight a few of this week’s articles that focus...


Brady’s Battle with Pertussis

This post has been updated on January 28, 2018 to include new information about maternal Tdap vaccination. Pertussis (also known as whooping cough) is a highly contagious respiratory disease that spreads easily...


One Baby's Battle with a Bacterial Infection Goes Viral

How is it possible that one tiny baby, who only graced this planet for a mere 27 days, can have such an enormous impact on people today? I believe...


Chickenpox Outbreak in Florida Exposes Importance of Varicella Vaccine

According to recent reports in The Gainesville Sun, there is a chickenpox outbreak in Florida that has recently spread to five different schools.  Currently, the outbreak involves 65 cases in which 26 children were infected from...


Lara’s Story Part 2: Vaccines and Autism

Today’s post is a continuation of Lara’s Story: Growing Up Anti-Vaccine.  Despite being raised in an anti-vaccine household, Lara Lohne looked to science to determine whether she should vaccinate...


Lara’s Story: Growing Up Anti-Vaccine

Lara Lohne grew up in an anti-vaccine household.  Although her father was fully vaccinated, the decision for Lara and her siblings not to be vaccinated rested primarily with her mother. ...


How the Doctor/Parent Relationship Can Impact Immunization Decisions

Last year at this time my ten-year old daughter was in and out of the doctor’s office, ER and then finally admitted to the hospital as we struggled to...


Life is Like a Box of Chocolates…

“You never know what you’re going to get.” I believe this famous statement from Forest Gump is so frequently recited because it speaks the truth.  We all have unknowns in our lives.  No...