October 22, 2025

For some parents, vaccinating their children is an automatic decision—a continuation of long-standing trust in pediatricians and public health guidance. For others, however, that decision has become fraught with doubt. A relentless flood of misinformation has eroded confidence in the very professionals once relied upon to keep families safe.

At a time when vaccine hesitancy threatens decades of progress, grandparents are stepping in, refusing to remain on the sidelines when we know too well the dangers that await unvaccinated children. We lived it, and we remember. We are dedicated to reviving a forgotten history: the devastating realities of vaccine-preventable diseases that today's parents have been spared from. Dr. Arthur Lavin, award winning pediatrician from Shaker Heights, says, “We share these stories not as relics of the past, but as vital reminders of what remains at stake. Our generation may well be the last to provide these lived experiences”.

Our movement, Grandparents for Vaccines, has a taken on renewed urgency, as reports show that 1 in 6 US parents are choosing not to vaccinate their children. The percentage of Ohio kindergarten school students who met the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) requirements in the  2024-2025 academic year was 88.3%, far below the necessary number (95%) to achieve herd immunity. 

Since launching on Grandparents Day, September 7th, thousands among the 67 million grandparents in America have joined the cause. Many of their stories appear on the Grandparents for Vaccines YouTube channel. These heartfelt videos are passionate, and deeply moving, showing each grandparent’s commitment to protecting not only their own families, but every child. Remembrances include the story of a 6-year-old twin who lost her brother to polio, only to contract the dreaded disease herself. Another grandparent recounts her 4-year-old sister’s bout with measles that led to life-long brain damage due to encephalitis, an often-fatal complication of this disease. 

One grandmother recalls that, as a kindergartner, she was never allowed to attend school or play with her classmates. Diagnosed with leukemia, she was severely immunocompromised making her susceptible to infectious diseases that could be fatal. From her living room window, she watched her peers play outside, isolated, lonely and longing to join them.

Deliberately withholding vaccines, proven by research and multiple clinical trials to be safe and effective, can also be devastating when a child grows up and fully understands the ramifications of their parents’ decisions. The Washington Post recently profiled young adults who were never vaccinated during their childhood and the long-term consequences they now face.

One who shared that same experience is Dr. Elisabeth “Liz” Marnik, known on social media as @sciencewhizliz, who grew up in an anti-vaccination household and always knew she wasn’t vaccinated. In eleventh grade, she took her first formal science class — one with a lab — and it completely changed her life. “That class opened my eyes,” she said. “For the first time, I saw how science could explain the world and even help people.” As she learned more about the immune system, she chose to get vaccinated, understanding it was the best way to protect both her community and herself. Her mother was hurt and angry at first, but love and empathy helped them find common ground and preserve their relationship.

Now is the time for all grandparents to do something to protect our grandchildren from this growing and preventable threat to their lives. Add your voice to this vital conversation by joining Grandparents for Vaccines.  The eyes of our grandchildren are looking up to us, asking, “will you protect us?” We can. We should. Let’s do this—together. 

Gaffney and Mills are part of the Grandparents for Vaccines leadership council. Gaffney writes from California and Mills is based in Oregon.

Both are leaders in Nurses for America