Personal Stories

Vaccines are necessary because the diseases they prevent still exist. Although you may not know someone who has had a vaccine-preventable disease, many families have endured the consequences of these infections. We have collected, and continue to collect, some of their stories and post them here.

Sharing these stories is an important aspect of our work because many people are not familiar with vaccine-preventable diseases, and, unfortunately, that means some people don't feel it is important to continue immunizing their children against these diseases. As anyone who has lived through a vaccine-preventable disease will tell you, it is much easier to endure the brief moment of pain from a shot than to endure a serious illness.

We would love to hear from you! If you have a story you would like to share with the Parents PACK team, please complete and submit this form.

Read personal stories about:

Chickenpox
Hepatitis A
Human Papillomavirus
Influenza
Measles
Meningococcus
Pneumococcus
Polio
Rotavirus
Rubella
Shingles
Whooping cough

Materials in this section are updated as new information and vaccines become available. The Vaccine Education Center staff regularly reviews materials for accuracy.

You should not consider the information in this site to be specific, professional medical advice for your personal health or for your family's personal health. You should not use it to replace any relationship with a physician or other qualified healthcare professional. For medical concerns, including decisions about vaccinations, medications and other treatments, you should always consult your physician or, in serious cases, seek immediate assistance from emergency personnel.