THE heartbroken parents who lost their adored baby to the deadly Meningococcal B-strain have made an emotional plea for greater education and for the vaccine to be urgently funded.
Nathan Braddock and Emma Smith tragically lost their six-month-old son Jordan to the invasive disease last month.
Within hours of showing signs of illness, Jordan sadly died at Mount Gambier Hospital.
Jordan was the first of two people in Mount Gambier who have been struck down by the disease in recent weeks.
The grieving couple is spearheading a campaign pushing for the B-strain vaccine to be placed on the vaccination schedule and for health authorities to step-up public education and awareness.
“The vaccine should had been funded years ago,” Ms Smith yesterday.
“It is pretty appalling there has to be more deaths before something is done.
“We have lost our beautiful baby boy and we are still fighting for something to be done.
“We do not want any other family to go through what we have been through – we do not want any other child to die or suffer.”
Thousands of people across the state have already signed a petition calling on the State Government to fund the vaccine until it can be rolled out nationally.
Jordan’s death has also prompted hundreds of people in Mount Gambier to become vaccinated.
Speaking to The Border Watch ahead of tonight’s fundraising event, Ms Smith described the devastation of losing a precious baby.
“You never think something like this will happen to you,” she said.
“Jordan had a fever and his temperature was under 39C.
“I gave him Panadol, but he did vnot drink his morning bottle so I decided to take him to the doctors’ clinic.”
But before heading to the clinic, Ms Smith recalled seeing pin-prick dots on his skin.
“My first thought was maybe it was chicken pox, but as soon as we got him to the clinic a rash broke out on his face and they advised he needed to go straight to hospital,” she said.
“When I heard the doctors say it was a suspected case of meningococcal, I broke down.
“Everything just happened so quickly.”
Sadly, Jordan died shortly thereafter despite the frantic efforts of hospital staff.
“This just shows how important the vaccine is and the need for more education,” she said.
“We want the community to get the information as quick as possible so it does not happen to them.”
The couple said the issue was not just about the vaccine, but the need for better awareness.
The couple said they were unaware that B-strain was not included when Jordan received his routine vaccinations.
“I know babies get vaccinated against Meningococcal-C at 12 months but I did not know there are other strains and you could get vaccination against them,” Ms Smith explained.
“Doctors do not tell you this when you have your baby – nobody tells you there are other diseases that are deadly that are not part of the vaccination schedule but are available at a cost.
“We were not told whatsoever, which I do not think is acceptable.
“They only get to read what you are getting vaccinated for at the time.
“We are not blaming anyone personally, but I think it is appalling – it is just the overall health system.”
The couple cited figures showing there were 150 Meningococcal B-strain deaths in Australia just three years ago, but this had ballooned to 400.
“The B-strain is now the most common meningococcal strain in Australia,” Ms Smith said.
The couple particularly called for the health system to have uniform education for medical professions after what they say have been mixed advice stemming from regional doctors.
“Some people have been given different information,” she said.
The couple has described the support flowing from the community as “overwhelming”.
Ms Smith said tonight’s fundraiser at Jens Hotel would raise money for the Paige Weatherspoon Foundation and Meningococcal Australia.
The foundation was founded in 2002 to raise money for research and awareness progress.
Member for Mount Gambier Troy Bell and Federal Member for Barker Tony Pasin have thrown their support behind the growing campaign for a vaccine to be state funded.
The petition will remain in circulation across the region until May 14.
