- Advocacy
- Personal Stories
How You Can Make a Difference This Flu Season
Posted on December 16, 2020
Families Fighting Flu was founded by families whose loved ones have suffered serious medical complications or died from influenza. We share our personal stories because we want everyone to understand that flu is unpredictable and potentially deadly, but can be prevented through annual flu vaccination.
The Importance of Sharing Stories
According to cognitive psychologist Jerome Bruner, people are 22 times more likely to remember a fact when that fact is used in a story. In the early years of this organization, there was no universal recommendation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for annual flu vaccinations. Only people deemed high risk were told to get annual flu vaccinations. Our family members shared their stories with members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) in an effort to change their recommendation for annual flu vaccination. We are proud to say Families Fighting Flu was instrumental in the ACIP’s decision to expand its flu vaccination recommendation to include all individuals six months of age and older, with rare exception.
How we use Family Stories
Currently, we have over 60 stories on our website that demonstrate the importance of annual flu vaccination. While our families know that flu is a serious disease and we are all at risk – regardless of age, gender, health status, ethnicity, or lifestyle – there are still many people who aren’t aware. Our family stories put a face on the flu and illustrate why we’re so driven in our mission.
How You can Share a Story, and Make a Difference
By sharing our stories, you can help your friends and loved ones understand the importance of annual flu vaccination for themselves. Vaccination can be an emotional issue for many people and we want to make them feel empowered to make an informed decision about flu vaccination for themselves and their families. We invite you to explore and share our suite of 60+ stories or watch videos of families sharing their experiences to show others why flu is a serious – yet vaccine-preventable – disease.
Sources:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/kateharrison/2015/01/20/a-good-presentation-is-about-data-and-story/#6ae681b8450f.
