Imagine living in a world where a simple childhood illness could leave you paralyzed for life. That was the reality for Carol Boigon, a polio survivor, and countless others before the widespread availability of vaccines. But now, with federal guidelines shifting and vaccine hesitancy on the rise, are we risking a return to those terrifying times? Boigon is stepping up to fight for a future where preventable diseases don't steal lives, joining a new Colorado-based pro-vaccine group determined to safeguard public health. But here's where it gets controversial: are these federal changes truly a threat, or are they a necessary step towards respecting individual choice and promoting informed consent?
To truly grasp the transformative power of immunization, Carol Boigon's story is a powerful place to start. A resident of Denver and former city council member, Boigon vividly recalls a childhood overshadowed by the constant threat of polio. "Every summer, everybody got sick," she recounts. "One summer, it was my turn, not just to get sick, but to get disabled from it."
Polio, a highly contagious viral disease, relentlessly attacks the nervous system, often leading to partial or complete paralysis. Growing up in Detroit during the 1950s, Boigon witnessed firsthand the devastating impact of the disease as it swept through her neighborhood. "The whole block was sick, and some of us got crippled. And that was just the way it was," she says, painting a stark picture of a community grappling with a terrifying reality.
At the tender age of five, Boigon was hospitalized for six weeks, battling a relentless fever as the polio virus attacked her spine. "None of my limbs worked immediately afterwards," she remembers. While she regained some function, her right arm never fully recovered. Showing its diminished size and strength, she explains, "I'm a one-armed person, basically," highlighting the everyday adaptations she's had to make, like learning to shake hands with her left.
The arrival of the polio vaccine in 1954 marked a turning point, offering hope and protection to a generation living in fear. "After 1954, it was a new world," Boigon emphasizes, a world free from the constant dread of this crippling disease.
Now, Boigon is channeling her experience and passion into a new venture: joining Colorado Chooses Vaccines. This recently formed coalition aims to address what it sees as a dangerous void created by shifting federal health priorities. With federal agencies seemingly de-emphasizing broad vaccine coverage, this group is determined to fill the gap in Colorado through policy proposals, science-backed information campaigns, and open communication.
Former state lawmaker Susan Lontine, who leads Immunize Colorado, explains the urgency behind the coalition's formation: "It was in direct response to the federal threats. A couple of us had gotten together and felt like we needed to assemble a group of folks to talk about what we can do." Recognizing the importance of resources, the coalition is also focused on fundraising to support its vital work.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) declares that polio "was once one of the most feared diseases in the United States. Thanks to the polio vaccine, wild poliovirus has been eliminated in this country."
The World Health Organization (WHO) details the devastating history of polio epidemics, which ravaged communities in the late 1800s and early 1900s. A major outbreak in New York City in 1916 claimed over 2,000 lives, while the worst recorded outbreak in the U.S. in 1952 resulted in more than 3,000 deaths. By mid-century, the disease was paralyzing or killing over half a million people worldwide.
NPR poignantly described the era: "The hallmarks of the Polio Era were children on crutches and in iron lungs, shuttered swimming pools, theaters warning moviegoers to not sit too close to one another."
Amidst this crisis, Dr. Jonas Salk, a U.S. physician working at the University of Michigan, developed the first safe and effective polio vaccine. He bravely tested it on himself and his family in 1953. The following year, a massive vaccination campaign reached 1.6 million children in the U.S., Canada, and Finland.
Newsreel footage from April 1955 celebrated the polio vaccine as "an historic victory over a dread disease." Headlines proclaimed "Polio Test 90% Effective" and "Salk Vaccine Beats Scourge of Childhood," heralding the monumental success of the Salk vaccine in preventing crippling polio.
Within just a few years of the vaccine's announcement, U.S. polio cases plummeted by an astounding 85% to 90%.
But here's the catch: while polio is largely eradicated thanks to vaccines, other preventable illnesses are experiencing a resurgence. Colorado Chooses Vaccines is forming as the nation and the state grapple with surges in diseases like the flu, which recently hit record hospitalization rates in Colorado, and measles, which saw a dramatic spike in 2025. For the first time in a quarter century, the U.S. is at risk of losing its measles-free status. And this is the part most people miss: the potential consequences of these outbreaks extend beyond individual cases, impacting public health infrastructure and straining healthcare systems.
Colorado pediatrician Sean O'Leary, a member of the new group and chair of an infectious disease committee for the American Academy of Pediatrics, is sounding the alarm nationally. "What our experience has been, it's like the new Leonardo DiCaprio movie. It's just one thing after another," he says, emphasizing the urgency of the situation.
O'Leary points to changes within health agencies, influenced by figures like Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a vocal vaccine skeptic, as disrupting decades of established vaccine research and decision-making processes. Most recently, these agencies have limited the number of vaccines routinely recommended for children.
Kennedy, however, argues that these changes are not about restricting access to vaccines. "First of all, people should know we're not taking vaccines away from anybody. If you want to get the vaccine, you could get it. It's gonna be fully covered by insurance just like it was before," he stated in a recent CBS News interview.
When asked if these changes might lead to fewer people getting the flu vaccine, Kennedy responded, "Well, that may be, and maybe that's a better thing."
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services justified these changes by stating that President Trump directed a review of childhood immunization practices in other developed nations, aiming to adopt strategies that demonstrate superior outcomes.
Kennedy stated in a press release, "After an exhaustive review of the evidence, we are aligning the U.S. childhood vaccine schedule with international consensus while strengthening transparency and informed consent. This decision protects children, respects families, and rebuilds trust in public health."
However, major medical organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), vehemently disagree. The AAP, which has been providing vaccine recommendations for decades, deems these changes "dangerous and unnecessary." The AAP president has publicly condemned the changes, stating they will continue to publish their own childhood vaccination recommendations. Their research indicates that reduced vaccination rates will inevitably lead to increased illness, including serious complications and fatalities.
O'Leary emphasizes that the new coalition seeks to unite with anyone who believes in the importance of vaccines. "I think what we're doing here with this coalition is really creating a broader tent," he explains, aiming to reach not only other advocates, local public health officials, and professional societies but also "the folks who don't really think about immunizations all that often."
Denver mom Sam Hochman, representing Colorado Families for Vaccines, echoes this sentiment. "It's scary and it's uncertain. And I think Colorado did a really good job last year of trying to prevent some of the fallout," she says.
Colorado has diverged from federal recommendations in several ways, including adapting its vaccine guidance to consider not only federal recommendations but also the views of key medical groups involved in vaccine review.
Elizabeth Garcia, a public relations specialist, highlights the need for targeted messaging to reach the Hispanic population, where vaccination rates for diseases like flu and COVID-19 lag behind other groups. "A lot of time it's this fear that they're gonna have to pay out of pocket. That their insurance doesn't cover it, that they might not even have insurance in general," Garcia explains.
Polio survivor Carol Boigon expresses her unwavering commitment to the cause: "It's like we're going backwards. It's like we have decided we don't want a modern life. We want to be back in the 1950s where children are sick and dying," she said.
Boigon fears that the consequences of a national decline in vaccination rates could be devastating.
So, what do you think? Is the new Colorado Chooses Vaccines coalition a necessary safeguard against misguided federal policies, or is it an overreaction? Are the federal changes truly about respecting individual choice, or do they pave the way for a resurgence of preventable diseases? Share your thoughts and perspectives in the comments below. Let's discuss this crucial issue and work towards a healthier future for everyone.
