a time in american history -- ...so it never repeats itself. so it never repeats itself. it was a harrowing time. a heart-wrenching time.

i could hear my mother warn me, "cile, don't go out and play!" my family was ravaged. thousands and thousands died. i was scared. so scared. and then one day -- then one day -- and then one day there was hope. before vaccines, there were few ways to help protect against deadly illnesses. diseases like measles -- meningitis -- diphtheria -- hib -- whooping cough -- or polio, which killed my grandma's youngest son. without vaccines, these threats can re-emerge. i'm here -- i'm here -- i'm here to tell my children to help protect their children. get your kids vaccinated and keep them on schedule. i never want my grandchildren to see what i saw.