Wife of footy legend whose son nearly died of meningococcal SLAMS WAG who charges $200 for anti-vaxx ‘workshops’
Wow
Felicity Harley, wife of former AFL player Tom Harley, has penned an emotional piece slamming WAGS who use their social media platforms to promote anti-vaxx messages.
Mum-of-two Felicity almost lost her young son Hugo at just five weeks old due to meningococcal saying it was the “worst day of her life.”
“It was an eerily quiet morning in Sydney Children’s Hospital infectious disease ward. My five-week-old son Hugo was limp, lifeless,” she wrote on Whimn.
“The Meningococcal B infection was taking over; the bacteria was in his spinal cord and brain… I assumed the worst...that maybe, just maybe, he might die.”
Thankfully, baby Hugo managed to survive and today is four and a thriving pre-schooler, however Felicity has not forgotten her anguish over his near-death experience.
“This is why I am fiercely pro-vaccination. This is why, when I read about yet another influential woman using her platform to spread an irresponsible health message, I get angry,” she wrote.
On Monday, NRL’s Manly Sea Eagles star, Frank Winterstein’s wife, Taylor, made the front page of The Daily Telegraph saying she does not vaccinate her two children.
She also claimed that the benefits of vaccines are “over exaggerated” and parents are being bullied by GPs who “pressure” them to jab.
On Instagram, Taylor thanked the journalist who wrote the piece, saying: “You've just given my platforms and workshops way more exposure than I could've achieved by myself!”
Felicity said that what really made her gasp was the fact that Taylor is charging $200 a head for her “workshops”.
“What is her formal education in this space? If her kids aren’t vaccinated, then what’s her true intention? And why does she need to charge the price of 50 coffees?” Felicity writes.
“The ideological anti-vaxx movement has little evidence to support their claims. Time and time again, studies prove the absolute opposite.
“I also get that vaccinations have risks. BUT the risks of preventable diseases far outweigh the risks from the vaccinations itself.
“Taylor has every right to weigh-up the big risks for her own two kids. Worryingly, her decision increases the risks for our kids, too,” she adds.
What do you think?
Nicola Conville has worked as a journalist and editor for more than 20 years across a wide range of print and online publications. Her areas of expertise are parenting, health and travel. She has two children; Lucy, age eight, and Nathan, age five.
