What turns a trusting medical consumer into a Vaccine Safety Advocate?

Post-Gardasil Syndrome: Raquel from Spain three years later

By Norma Erickson, President

The traditional media seems to overlook the fact that all of the victims of severe adverse reactions after HPV vaccines were originally trusting medical consumers who were simply following their doctor’s advice. They listened to the professionals when told that Gardsil or Cervarix vaccines could save their daughters from being a victim of cervical cancer. They were certainly not anti-vaccine, or they would not be in the position they are in now. This is the story of one of those families.

February 2009, at 14 years of age, Raquel received her second injection of Gardasil. A few hours later she was in a coma battling for her life. See her original story here.

It’s been over three years since Raquel suffered severe adverse effects after the second dose of Gardasil. She and her family suffered for two years wondering if they would ever see an end to her illness.

Now, they would like to let everyone who has been battling similar events that
Raquel is recovered! All of her neurological exams are now normal. She has not yet been discharged from hospital visits, but she leads a normal life.

With great effort she has completed her studies. Much to her credit, she has decided to continue school next year to become a nurse. Raquel wants to dedicate her life to healing others who have suffered like her.

Raquel’s parents have been beside her every step of the way during her long and arduous recovery. They believe all experiences in life, even very harmful, help us to find our way. They believe Raquel’s illness helped her find her vocation.

Raquel realizes that she is a lucky young woman. She could have been confined to a wheelchair indefinitely, but is not. With the assistance of doctors who attended her and the unconditional support of her family, she has overcome her illness.

Perhaps the most difficult thing for her parents to overcome was the helplessness of seeing how Health Authorities and some doctors wanted to dismiss her side effects to the vaccine as psychological, incidental, or coincidence.

Raquel and her family relied on Health Authorities when they decided to take the vaccine. To them, it is incredible and incomprehensible that the Health Authorities did not care about Raquel´s health after she suffered what was obviously an adverse reaction to the vaccine.

They now know their daughter will have a bright and happy future. They also know it could have very easily not turned out so well. They count themselves among the lucky ones.

Are Raquel’s parents vaccine safety advocates? You bet they are! They now dedicate a substantial amount of time and effort in an attempt to make sure what happened to their daughter never happens to another child. They encourage parents to do their research before they decide whether or not a vaccine is right for their children. They do not want anyone else to have to go through the horrors their family did for the last three years.

Raquel’s mother has a personal message to other vaccine-injury victims:

“I would like to tell all young people concerned to be patient. As long as there is life, never give up. If a treatment is not working, try something else. There are medical professionals out there who care about your health. I wish you strength and hope.”