Bulwark Takes “Just Measles” Left Her Sister Disabled for Life (w/ Therese Vogel)
Mar 20, 2026
Therese Vogel, a retired nurse turned vaccine advocate after her sister suffered lifelong brain damage from measles. She shares that personal story and why she joined Grandparents for Vaccines. Conversations cover the return of measles, rising vaccine skepticism, how outbreaks spread when vaccination falls, and why personal stories can move people when facts alone do not.
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Sister Disabled For Life After Measles
- Therese Vogel shared her sister Nancy's life-long disability after measles encephalitis as the reason she joined Grandparents for Vaccines.
- Nancy recovered from hospitalization but lived with intellectual disability, worked in a sheltered workshop for 40+ years, and died in 2019 after later dementia.
Collective Amnesia Helps Anti Vaccine Messaging
- Collective amnesia about pre-vaccine disease severity fuels current vaccine hesitancy and makes anti-vaccine voices seem louder.
- Jonathan Cohn emphasized earlier generations remembered polio/measles firsthand, so they eagerly accepted vaccines when available.
Why Measles Needs 95 Percent Coverage
- Measles is extremely contagious and requires roughly 95% vaccination for herd immunity, making small drops in coverage risky.
- Therese noted communities now at 75–78% vaccination are vulnerable to outbreaks and serious complications like encephalitis.