They Remember a World Without Vaccines
Donna Gaffney and Robin Cogan grew up during a time when most people were excited to get vaccines. They remember the fear of getting diseases like polio and whooping cough. They saw kids struggle to breathe inside iron lungs. They knew measles wasn’t just a rash; it often turned into pneumonia, encephalitis, and sometimes even permanent disability. They remember the sense of safety and freedom that came with vaccines.
“This is our lived experience,” says Gaffney, a retired nurse, grandmother, and co-founder of Grandparents for Vaccines, a grassroots movement that’s mobilizing the voices of grandparents to fight vaccine hesitancy with storytelling.
Today, we live in a different world.
“Many parents have never seen polio or iron lungs,” says Cogan, a school nurse, new grandmother, and volunteer for Grandparents for Vaccines. “They’ve never known a child who suddenly could not run or climb stairs or breathe without a machine. Vaccines worked so well that we no longer see the diseases they prevent, and in that absence, something else has grown: doubt, misinformation, disinformation, and fear of the very tools that made modern childhood safer.”
This is where memory matters—and where grandparents come in.
“As grandparents, we are trusted messengers,” says Gaffney. “We have years of experience and struggles, and we want to share our stories.”
Grandparents for Vaccines is leaning into this power of grandparents’ storytelling prowess to help combat the problem of vaccine hesitancy and misinformation. Thousands of grandparents have already joined the movement. Here’s how you can, too:
- If you’re a grandparent with a story to share, click here. (Looking for inspiration from other grandparents who’ve already shared their stories? You’ll find them here.)
- Have a chat with your children, friends, and neighbors about your experiences with vaccines. Do you remember excitedly lining up to get your polio vaccine? Do you have a sibling or friend who has a lifelong complication due to a childhood disease that’s now preventable? Start a conversation the next time you read an article or watch a news segment about vaccines, and share your memories—the more personal, the better.
- Talk to a school. Did you know schools are often looking for people who have interesting stories to tell children? Call your local school principal, PTA, or a teacher you know and ask if you can share your stories about vaccines with students.
For Gaffney and Cogan—and for all the grandparents out there inspired to share their stories about what life was like before vaccines—the message is simple: Grandparents remember a world without vaccines, and they want to share their memories of this time not to shame or win arguments, but to protect children.
Will you join them?
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