SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (WXYZ) — Veronica McNally from West Bloomfield has made it her life's work to talk about vaccines and pertussis, also known as whooping cough.
She told 7 News Detroit that she and her husband decided to do so on the car ride to their daughter Francesca Marie's funeral in 2012. Their 3-month-old died battling whooping cough.
"This disease hit Francesca like a Mack truck," McNally said. "There was no medical intervention that was possible. She had the best care available — there was no medical intervention that was possible that was going to save her life."
McNally bares her soul and shares her heartbreak to advocate for vaccines.
She did so Thursday as the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has seen over 1,500 cases of whooping cough this year. That's more than 13 times what they saw in 2023, when the state saw 110 cases.
"Pertussis cases in general are up across the country," said Ryan Malosh, director of the Division of Immunizations at the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
Medical leaders across the state are aware of the concerning trend.
Malosh said it comes as whooping cough vaccines are being administered 3% less than in January of 2020, and as two-thirds of whooping cough patients either never had the vaccine or haven't received it in the past five years.
VIDEO: Dr. Nandi talks about whooping cough spiking in October and the symptoms to watch for
Dr. Anna Groebe is a pediatrician at Bloom Pediatrics and is the co-owner.
"Along with pertussis, other vaccine-preventable illnesses are definitely on the rise, and we believe it’s due to lack of vaccine uptake," she said.
When asked how imperative it is for parents to get their kids vaccinated, Groebe said "it can be life saving."
"Infants especially can end up hospitalized or even die due to pertussis, or whopping cough. So by getting the vaccine, you can prevent your child from either getting the illness or being hospitalized," she said.
Groebe said she worries about infants getting whooping cough from others who aren't vaccinated.
To give parents resources about vaccines, McNally started the I Vaccinate campaign and the Franny Strong Foundation.
She said that her motivation is working to ensure that no other families have to experience what hers has.
"What I think is happening is a lot of misinformation is out there about vaccinations, and there’s a lot of misinformation and maybe misunderstanding about the dangers of these diseases," McNally said.
