The Human Toll of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases

The toll of vaccine-preventable diseases extends far deeper than case counts and statistics. Real stories of children’s deaths, parents’ grief, and survivors’ resilience reveal the true costs when access to vaccines, accurate information, or public confidence in proven public health tools falls short.

These first-hand accounts underscore the urgency and importance of ensuring access and building trust in America’s vaccines to prevent other families from enduring the same struggle and heartbreak.

Their experiences are powerful reminders that vaccines save lives and that protecting America’s health requires intentional action and leadership.

Zachary Yaksich’s Daughter Alana

Five-and-a-half-year-old Alana Yaksich spent Feb. 2, 2003, enjoying some of her favorite activities. She watched movies, ate sundaes, and played with her brothers. Though she had a low-grade fever and a sore throat, she acted normally throughout the day and went to bed without issue.

But within hours, she woke up with a 106-degree temperature. She was vomiting and lethargic. She was rushed to the emergency room, where her condition rapidly deteriorated. On Feb. 3, 2003, Alana died of flu-related complications that caused swelling and injury to her brain.

“I never knew the flu could kill until Alana died,” her dad, Zachary, said.

At the time, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention focused influenza vaccine recommendations on children ages 6 to 23 months – prioritizing this group as the most vulnerable. Alana had not received the vaccine. Since 2010, experts have recommended annual flu vaccines for everyone 6 months and older.

In her memory, Alana’s family established Alana’s Foundation as a non-profit dedicated to educating people about the severity of influenza and the importance of vaccinating children. 

Tamika Felder’s Cervical Cancer Battle

In 2001, Tamika Felder was living her dream as a successful television producer in Washington, D.C., when a diagnosis of stage IIA cervical cancer upended her life. Grueling treatment through surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation left her grappling with the physical and emotional toll of infertility, fatigue, and stigma.

Her experience with cervical cancer, caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), inspired her drive to advocate and support others facing similar battles. She founded the non-profit Cervivor, Inc., now the largest and most engaged community of cervical cancer survivors and advocates in the country.

Tamika’s story is a powerful reminder of what’s at stake in today’s debates over science and health policy. The HPV vaccine can prevent many cases of cervical cancer entirely, but access, awareness, and confidence in these tools are under threat.

Tamika is driven to ensure no one endures the same fight when prevention is within our reach.

Veronica McNally’s Daughter Francesca

On May 17, 2012, the McNally family lost their 3-month-old daughter, Francesca Marie, to pertussis – also known as whooping cough. Francesca’s mother, Veronica, believes she unknowingly contracted the illness and passed it on to her infant daughter and young son. 

Francesca’s pediatrician’s office and the emergency room didn’t recognize her diagnosis until it was too late. She died in the pediatric intensive care unit just nine days after her symptoms began.

Looking back, Veronica knows having friends and family fully vaccinated could have helped prevent Francesca’s death, creating a protective “cocoon” of immunity around the baby until she was old enough to be fully vaccinated herself. Pertussis spreads quickly, infecting 8 out of 10 people exposed, and is often misdiagnosed in older children and adults, who then unknowingly pass it to infants. For babies like Francesca, the consequences can be deadly.

Veronica honors her daughter’s memory by funding and operating “I Vaccinate” in partnership with the Michigan Department of Health, working to increase vaccination rates and counter misinformation. 

Alicia Stillman’s Daughter Emily

In January 2013, while studying at Kalamazoo College, 19-year-old Emily Stillman developed what seemed like a bad headache. She packed up her backpack and homework and drove to the hospital, expecting to receive some medicine to help ease the pain. But her condition quickly worsened. By the time doctors identified the bacterial meningitis, the swelling in her brain had already caused irreversible damage. 

Throughout her life, Emily had shined as a performer and winner of the State Forensics Competition during her senior year of high school. But 36 hours after she walked into the hospital, Emily was gone.

Emily’s illness is vaccine-preventable today. Though she had received the meningitis vaccine that was available at the time, a newer vaccine that protected against an additional strain wasn’t yet recommended for routine use. Any gaps in immunization can be devastating.

Today, Alicia is co-executive director of the American Society for Meningitis Prevention and director of the Emily Stillman Foundation. She works to educate families, expand vaccine availability, and ensure no parent endures a loss like Emily’s.