A mother is urging parents to vaccinate their children after losing her daughter to a rare brain disease linked to measles. Rebecca Archer’s daughter, Renae, passed away at the age of 10 after being diagnosed with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) in 2023, a condition affecting the nervous system that can result from measles infection.
Renae contracted measles at just five months old, too young to receive the vaccine. Following a recent rise in measles cases in England, the World Health Organization revoked the UK’s measles-free status. Rebecca emphasizes the importance of vaccination, stating that if more children were immunized, Renae might have been spared the measles that led to her illness and eventual death.
The UK initially achieved measles-free status in 2017 but lost it in 2024 due to outbreaks. By the end of 2024, vaccination rates stood at 92% for the first dose and nearly 85% for the second dose. Ten years after her measles infection, Renae began experiencing seizures at school, leading to a gradual decline in her health. Rebecca recounted the heartbreaking decision to remove her daughter from life support after doctors confirmed SSPE as the cause.
Dr. Manisha Kumar, chief medical officer for NHS Greater Manchester, hopes that Rebecca’s story will motivate parents to check their children’s vaccination status. Stressing the necessity of MMR vaccination, she underscores the importance of protecting not just one’s family but the broader community. Encouraging full MMR vaccination for lifelong immunity against measles, mumps, and rubella, Dr. Kumar urges vigilance in ensuring all necessary immunizations are up to date.
