In late August 2024, 52-year-old Heidi Duckworth faced an unexpected health scare. A busy professional, Heidi had always prioritised her health, but as fatigue set in she began scheduling rest breaks during her workday. 

“I told my partner I just didn’t feel right,” she recalled. 

For some Whooping Cough (pertussis) can be a persistent cough that lingers for months but for others it is a life altering illness and can sadly, prove fatal.

Timothy Britten CV is a senior sergeant in the Western Australia Police Force. After his heroic actions in the immediate aftermath of the 2002 Bali bombings, Timothy was awarded the Cross of Valour, making him Australia’s highest-decorated police officer. As an ambassador for the Immunisation Foundation of Australia, Tim has shared his debilitating experience with whooping cough, shining a light on the importance of adult boosters.

Heidi lives in Northern NSW, where vaccination rates are low and outbreaks of disease like whooping cough are common.  An experienced paramedic and owner of a First Aid business, Heidi became a passionate advocate for immunisation in her local community after a traumatic experience of whooping cough whilst pregnant.   

Greg was a busy and active man in his fifties, working full time to deliver milk.  His partner Val shares with us his story, and the devastating impact whooping cough has had on his life.

One day, around ten years ago, my Mum contracted whooping cough when she was visiting a childcare centre for work.  Concerned about how sick she was feeling, she saw a doctor who reassured her that it was just a cold.  She continued to cough and cough, so a month later returned to the GP who tested her.