All three of my kids had the flu and strep throat in the last 6 weeks. It felt like we were back in preschool. Other than missing Christmas, New Year’s, a few birthdays and collectively a couple weeks of school it was all so minor. No one contracted pneumonia. No one got dehydrated and passed out. No one had to be rushed to the ER or hooked up to a nebulizer or extra fluids. I’m very grateful and can’t help but think of the kids who don’t weather the flu so well. I’m grateful all my kids have to worry about is the missed school work.
So as I’m rushing about packing up for the United Nations Foundation’s second Shot@Life Summit this week in D.C., I’m taking a moment to be thankful that I don’t have to worry about pneumonia this time around. A few years ago my son started gasping for breath in the middle of the night, a sound I don’t think I’ll ever quite forget. A sound I remembered well upon learning more kids die from pneumonia than anything else. It doesn’t have to be that way. Kids don’t have to die from pneumonia, there’s a vaccine and it costs just a few dollars. If you agree and want to do something about it visit Shot@Life. For some inspiration, check out the stories in the 28 Days of Impact. Watch the video from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, a Shot@Life partner.