Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Vaccinate Vaccinate Vaccinate

Kaliah Dailyn Holly Jeffery
Yesterday a high school friend's niece lost a 26-day-old baby to whooping cough. It's tragic, heartbreaking, and needn't have happened.

Infants can't be immunized for Pertussis -- and all it takes is one cough from an infected unimmunized person and that baby's got the fight of their short little life ahead of them.

I have friends who don't believe in immunizing -- and for unscientific, not very convincing reasons. Quite honestly, they make me furious, and I'm someone who usually tries to respect personal choices. But this life-ending bacterial disease could be wiped out -- like small pox has been (at least in the wild) -- if people wouldn't be so selfish or ignorant. When they choose not to vaccinate their of-age child, they run the risk of ending another life. Wow.

I'm posting this in memory of little Kaliah Jeffery, and thinking of her heartbroken young parents today.

My friend's family is trying to raise money for the grieving parents, and I just found out I can send money to an account to help them pay her medical expenses. I'll be doing that today. Here's the info if you'd like to help, too:
A Wells Fargo account has been opened.

Kash for Kaliah
Routing number: 125008547
account number: 2171652304

You can directly deposit ANY funds from your own bank to Wells Fargo or Wachovia Banks all around the country, or just directly go to the branch.


-Anjie




6 comments:

Kari Quaas said...

That is tragic. I'm so sorry for your friend's loss.

You may want to make the parents aware of the TEARS Foundation which helps grieving parents.

http://www.thetearsfoundation.org/

So sad.

anjie said...

Thanks, Kari. I'll pass that news on.

I used my bank's Pay Other People method and contributed to their fund in a few short minutes.

Yes, so sad.

Jennie Englund said...

Nothing, nothing is more painful than seeing your child suffer.

Of course, I will keep this family in my heart.

Good post, Anj.

Anonymous said...

I too am so sad this wee one died. How tragic for her family.
I have them in my prayers.
Lovingly,
JJJ

Natalie N said...

So SO sad. Our hospital made a HUGE deal about the whopping cough while I was pregnant with Shannon. I canNOT believe that people would not heed the hospital/doctors' warnings. Thanks for posting the bank info. Our thoughts are with those grieving parents. :(

michelle clark said...

Wow. I looked up whooping cough on the web since you posted this and found out that you need booster shots every 5-10 years. I was not aware of that. At the hospital they encourage parents of newborns to get vaccinated, but I never thought about all the other people our babies are exposed to.