Coast mum’s fight to tackle anti-vaxxers, propaganda and Anthony Mundine

When a Gold Coast mother lost her daughter to measles, she vowed to take on Anti-Vax propaganda any chance she could. Now she is out to tackle her biggest opponent ever — Anthony Mundine.

WHEN a Gold Coast mother lost her daughter to measles in 1995 she vowed to take on Anti-Vax propaganda any chance she could — now she out to tackle her biggest opponent ever — Anthony Mundine.

For Cecily Johnson, a Pottsville nurse every outbreak of vaccine preventable diseases is devastating, and every anti-vax push gut wrenching.

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Cecily Johnson wants people is campaigning against the anti-immunisation sector and wants all parents to immunise their children. Cecily with pictures of her daughter Laine Bradley who died of measles.

OPINION: WHY I HAVE NO TIME FOR ANTI-VAXXERS

So it was no surprise she has told the former boxer she would “meet him in the ring” for a debate following for his latest public push against vaccinations.

“Stick to what you know. We have worked so hard and he come out with this,” the former Western Australian nurse said as she reached out to Mundine online.

Mundine Thursday had taken to social media to tell parents not to vaccinate after he watched a video on the subject.

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Cecily Johnson with a picture of her deceased daughter Laine Bradley. Picture: Russell Shakespeare

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For Ms Johnson the fight for vaccinations is an extremely personal one.

A just ten months old, before she was old enough to be vaccinated her daughter Laine contracted measles.

Despite making a seemingly full recovery, Laine’s health began to spiral several years later as she developed subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE), a brain inflammation caused by the measles virus.

The terminal disease left her blind, and bed bound.

Laine passed away in 1995 at the age of 12.

“She was a very gifted child, she could read and write,” Ms Johnson said.

“They called her a teachers aide because she would do her work and then help everyone else.”

“Then one day it all changed, she said mum I feel dumb — That was it, she was blind just two weeks after she was diagnosed.”

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“It is just so awful to have the thought that someone gave it to her.

“A bit longer and she would have been immunised for the measles as a baby, but she lost her life because someone wasn’t protected.”

Angered and devastated Ms Johnson spoke out about the cause regularly while caring for Laine in her final years.

She was often the subject of ridicule of the anti-vax movement, she endured protesters disturbing Laine’s funeral and would regularly receive Anti-Vaccination literature.

“I just get upset when I see people making these claims, I don’t want to let this happen to another kid or family,” Ms Johnson said.

“People need to know children die of this, and I won’t stop speaking up.”

Ms Johnson said she has grown accustomed to dealing with online trolls and other hate for speaking out about the major health issue.

“I don’t care I guess, I am immune to them now, it is my way of coping,” she said.

“Every time I post online in response to an antivaxer, every time I help out an education campaign I think I might have helped someone.”

“To me that is the only thing that matters.”