The Relentless School Nurse: The Stories Only Grandparents Can Tell

Something extraordinary happened this past week. My granddaughter Nora and I were interviewed by NBC News’ Valerie Castro to talk about something deeply personal, and something urgently important: the power of vaccination. 

The NBC News Now crew came to us for the interview, and what followed was one of the most meaningful conversations I’ve had in my years as a nurse and advocate. We talked about what it was like for grandparents to live through the era before vaccines, to witness firsthand the fear that diseases like polio and measles brought to families and communities. That living memory is something no textbook can replicate, and it’s exactly why the work of Grandparents for Vaccines matters so much.

We carry a perspective that is rare and precious, and we have a responsibility to use it.

Watch the Segment

You can watch the full NBC News Now piece right here:

Grandparents advocate for vaccination by sharing childhood illness stories amid skepticism (NBC News Now, May 12, 2026 — 2:57)

The Response Has Been Overwhelming

Since the segment aired, the response has reminded me exactly why this work matters. The story is being picked up across NBC platforms and beyond — including Yahoo News. And it has traveled as far as Ghana. Let that sink in for a moment. A conversation that started in Nora’s living room is now reaching parents and grandparents around the world.

That is the power of storytelling. That is the power of showing up.

Why This Work Matters

We are living through a moment of real vaccine skepticism, and the stakes could not be higher. Children are getting sick from diseases we have the tools to prevent. Grandparents have a unique and trusted voice in their families — and when we speak from experience, people listen.

If you are a grandparent who wants to make a difference, I encourage you to visit GrandparentsforVaccines.com and join this growing community of advocates. No one else has your memories. No one else can tell your story. That is exactly what hesitant parents need to hear right now.

To Nora, thank you for sharing this experience with me. Doing this work alongside you, across generations, is everything.

And to everyone who has reached out with kind words and support: thank you. Let’s keep going.

---

More news from Grandparents For Vaccines:

Kudos to the Op-Ed Nurses, Teri Mills and Donna Gaffney, for adding to their dozens of publications in newspapers and magazines across the country. Here is their most recent Op-Ed published in The Progressive Magazine that reframes the concept of Herd Immunity to Heard Immunity. 

The Need for Heard Immunity (No, That’s Not a Typo)