Pediatricians are speaking out with powerful, heart-wrenching stories to stress the lifesaving impact of vaccines. As lawmakers prepare to make decisions about leadership in the Department of Health and Human Services, these doctors are sharing firsthand accounts of the devastation caused by preventable diseases.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has collected nearly 200 stories from doctors nationwide. These stories paint a vivid picture of the pain and loss families endure when children fall victim to illnesses that vaccines could have stopped. The testimonials have been sent to key Senate committees ahead of important hearings this week.

One pediatrician from North Carolina recalls a tragic case from the 1990s. “I remember holding a baby dying of complications from pneumococcal meningitis,” the doctor said. “That baby’s face stays with me to this day. Thankfully, since the vaccine was introduced in 2000, I haven’t had to face that horror again.”

Another doctor from Maine shared a more recent story. They treated a young child in the pediatric intensive care unit, fighting for life against the same disease. “This child wasn’t vaccinated, even though the vaccine was available,” the doctor explained. “It’s heartbreaking to see families suffer when these illnesses could have been prevented.”

The AAP president noted a common theme in all these stories: vaccines save lives. They allow children to grow up healthy and thrive, protecting them from diseases that once caused widespread suffering.

As lawmakers consider who will lead key health agencies, pediatricians hope these emotional accounts will drive home the importance of vaccines. Their message is clear: immunizations are critical to safeguarding the health and future of every child.