With measles outbreaks growing in Canada, this mother pleads with parents to vaccinate

Rebecca Archer lovingly places a pair of small glasses on a shelf filled with memorabilia like trinkets and photos. They belonged to her 10-year-old daughter, Renae, who tragically passed away after a measles infection. As she gazes at the glasses, memories of Renae flood her mind. “She was just really intelligent. Just a really happy child, always smiling,” she recalls.

Renae was just five months old when she contracted the measles virus during an outbreak in Manchester, England, in 2013. At that time, she was too young to be vaccinated, and despite being hospitalized, she managed to recover. For the next decade, Renae lived a healthy life with no medical issues. However, the measles virus lay dormant in her brain, waiting to wreak havoc.

When Renae started experiencing seizures, her life took a devastating turn. She gradually lost her ability to speak, eat, and even stay conscious. Her condition was diagnosed as subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE), a rare complication of measles that is almost always fatal. Despite the efforts of medical professionals, there was nothing that could be done to save Renae.

Archer reflects on the disbelief and anger she felt upon learning that measles had caused such irreversible damage to her daughter. She emphasizes the importance of vaccination, especially in the face of rising measles cases in Canada and declining vaccination rates. “You never think it’s going to happen to you,” she says, urging others to understand the seriousness of the disease.

Dr. Michelle Barton, a pediatric infectious diseases specialist, highlights the rarity of SSPE but warns that with the current surge in measles cases across Canada, healthcare providers may need to be more vigilant about potential complications. The fear of losing a patient to SSPE is a stark reality that Barton and her colleagues face.

As measles continues to spread in various provinces, including Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Ontario, healthcare professionals like Dr. Upton Allen stress the importance of vaccination. The risk of complications from measles, such as pneumonia and encephalitis, is significant, especially for those with compromised immune systems.

Barbara Leonhard, who suffered from measles encephalitis as a child, shares her lifelong struggles with muscle weakness as a result of the infection. Despite her resilience in learning to walk again, she advocates for vaccination as a means of preventing such long-term effects.

Rebecca Archer, still mourning the loss of her daughter Renae, hopes that by sharing her family’s story, more people will understand the critical need for vaccination. She emphasizes the concept of herd immunity and the potential it has to prevent future tragedies like the one her family experienced.

In conclusion, the devastating impact of measles on individuals and families serves as a poignant reminder of the importance of vaccination. Through awareness, education, and action, we can work towards eradicating preventable diseases and protecting the health and well-being of our communities.