Friend, UNICEF and partners have been working for decades to provide vaccines around the world, protecting children and families from deadly diseases like measles, polio and tetanus.
From blindness to paralysis and even death, the impacts of contracting these diseases can be permanently damaging.
Emmi Herman explains how in 1960, her sister Marcie contracted measles at the age of 9 and suffered a brain injury that led to severe physical and mental challenges in her adulthood. At the time, there was no measles vaccine.
In 1963, a vaccine to prevent measles was developed and since then has reduced cases by 99 percent – however, outbreaks still exist, and interruptions to immunization coverage can be dangerous for children, putting them at risk for a disease that should be eliminated.
UNICEF works to continue monitoring and preventing outbreaks like these around the world and ensuring that routine vaccinations are accessible to all children, and stories like Marcie’s highlight the lifesaving importance of vaccines.
Learn more about Marcie’s moving story and see how UNICEF is helping vaccinate children and provide opportunities to grow up healthy and happy, today >>
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