My friends, my heroes
Just a short one tonight – my internet is playing silly buggars and I am tired.
…
But I cannot go to bed without properly acknowledging the incredible interview my friends Toni and Dave did with the Sunday Night program, which aired on Channel Seven in Australia tonight.
…
Put simply, they were magnificent.
Magnificent and brave in the face of the most unimaginable grief for the beautiful, healthy baby girl they tragically lost to whooping cough just a few weeks ago.
Talk about a tough gig – knowing that they are putting themselves up there for the anti-vaccination groups to target and try and discredit. Knowing that they will be (from this point on) the face of an immunisation campaign, in the worst kind of way.
That was something they never intended, never could have anticipated.
They know their lives will never be the same.
And yet they did – they took a deep breath and faced the camera.
For Dana.
For their own peace of mind.
As Toni said:
‘The only thing worse than the pain we are going through now, would be watching it happen to someone else and know that we could have said something, and didn’t.’
…
I admit I cried pretty much the entire way through the story.
I knew I would.
How could I not?
Watching my friend’s face crumple as she described what happened to her baby…
Excruciating. Mind-blowing. Surreal. Awful.
I hope it has some effect…
on the people who matter.
On our communities at large.
On parents who can be logical about this debate and make rational decisions.
On governments to properly shoulder the responsibility to keep our babies (and the vulnerable among us) safe from preventable and untreatable disease.
And to remind all adults that they too need boosters to stay immune and help protect the ‘herd’.
…
Apparently J-Lo is also pushing the pertussis vaccine in America…
whatever it takes, I guess.
But really, it shouldn’t take a celebrity, and it shouldn’t take a baby dying, to get people to act as a community to protect themselves and others.
…
I will climb off my soapbox now.
You know me, you know I don’t get up there often.
But damn it.
My friend’s baby died.
And someone bloody well needs to say something to make sure her voice is not lost in the low roar of everyday life.
Someone needs to dwell on the final words Toni said in tonight’s interview, after footage showed them planting a tree for Dana on the day she should have been christened.
She said:
‘I feel anger when I look at that tree.
I didn’t want a tree.
I just wanted my little girl.’
11 Comments
Leenie
Such tragedy. Such bravery. I so hope others will listen and act to save lives.
Jayne
I was teary all the way through it, it’s just so damn unfair.
Laura Lou
I am so glad I read this post today, but incredibly sad for your friends. I will make SURE my grandchildren are vaccinated and pass this on to my community of grannies.
sues2u2
Bless them for making something good out of such heartache. You also do good by getting it out too.
Bush Babe
Thanks guys… just wanted to make an important point here in the comments section for my regular commenters.
One of the things that helped give Toni the strength to face the media on this issue was reading the comments to my original post on Dana. They weren’t all totally pro-vaccination but they were all reasonable and considered. She needed to hear that cross-section of the community responding without the anger… so be proud you lot.
You helped.
🙂
BB
Carol
Hats off and a moment of silence for your friends and their baby. They are courageous.
Woman in a Window
The whole situation is so sad but that last line is unforgettable. I hope their story causes change.
Lydia
I am so glad that they are able to stand where many others would just lie down. Good for them.
We lost a young one in our family as well, it is life-shattering, but sometimes it is the thing that pushes you to be what you never thought you could be.
Thanks for standing with them.
•´.¸¸.•¨¯`♥.Trish.♥´¯¨•.¸¸.´•
An unimaginable tragedy , I didn't see the story last night but I read baby Dana's story on FB.
I am so sorry that Toni & Dave's had to lose Dana but what courage in the face of such controversy.
I know we all have choice but at what price.
I nursed many babies and children with pertussis (and other so called harmless diseases).
It was horrible watching them struggle to breathe and worse…
I hope that the community see the senseless tragedy and learn from this.
I hope the parents who just did't think or know how important it really is take it seriously now.
The last word from Toni is so poignant and heart breaking.
Helz
I have spent my entire day planting trees… & reading your friends words has me in tears… My Inbox contains the Facebook Website for Dana… A reminder for Me to ask my GP next visit… Without Fail…
Mindee@ourfrontdoor
Amen.
If our great-grandmothers knew that we were turning down vaccines that would save our children they would slap us into next Tuesday.
So sorry for your friend.