Contact: State Rep. Joe Dorman
Capitol: (405) 557-7305
E-mail: joedorman@okhouse.gov

OKLAHOMA CITY (July 31, 2007)– State Rep. Joe Dorman recently attended the National Meningitis Angels (Angels) Patient Advocacy Conference in Kingwood Texas.

"It was a fascinating experience that emphasized just how important prevention and immunizations efforts really are in saving children’s lives," said Dorman, D-Rush Springs. "I listened to several doctors testifying on the importance of getting children vaccinated. Children’s diseases are often spread through group settings when children have not taken their shots."

Dorman joined other "Angels" and families from around the country at the conference to learn more about bacterial meningitis and other vaccine preventable diseases – including prevention and immunization efforts.

"One has to only visit an old cemetery and see all the tombstones of children who died of preventable illnesses to understand the value of vaccines," said Frankie Milley, the group’s founder and executive director.

Records indicate that 63 percent of meningitis cases in undergraduate college students from 2000 to 2005 could have been prevented with vaccination.

However, thanks to vaccinations, fatality rates have fallen from a high of 70 percent to just over 10 percent.

According to state health department statistics, Oklahoma averaged 24 cases of meningitis and four deaths a year from the disease between 2000 and 2005. There have been 14 cases recorded so far this year.

Dorman noted that the vaccination process takes years of parental commitment, with the first round of shots beginning almost immediately after birth and continuing through the 18th birthday.

But that commitment is worth the effort since the vaccine is 85 to 100 percent effective in preventing four kinds of bacteria that cause about 70 percent of disease in the US.

The shots are offered free of charge to any child under 18 at county health departments.

"The risk of contracting the diseases that these shots prevent is significant without vaccination and the ravages these diseases will cause to the body are terrible, sometimes life-threatening," Dorman said. "Parents should look into the full contingent of vaccinations and information is available at the health departments and local clinics or hospitals."

Amanda Moran, a graduate of Apache High School, was instrumental in getting Dorman involved in the program. She contracted meningitis when preparing for college and has worked since to educate parents on the need for immunizations. She and Chris Etemadi, a student from Oklahoma State University that also contracted meningitis just this past year, also attended the national conference and spoke about their experiences.

The Angels have produced a seven-minute video to educate pre-teens and adolescents on the importance of healthy living and immunizations.

The group has been invited to join the federal Centers for Disease Control on a new campaign to reach parents of 11-and-12 year olds and health care providers.

For more information, visit www.meningitis-angels.org.