A fundraiser for the vaccine charity Every Child by Two has collected donations from a surprisingly large number of well-known anti-vaccine activists. The charity drive was started by Stephan Neidenbach, a Maryland teacher, to raise money for the charity whose mission is to “protect all children from vaccine preventable diseases by raising parental awareness of the critical need for timely infant immunizations, fostering the establishment of a systematic method to locate and immunize children, and providing convenient access to immunization services into the future.” The fundraiser really took off after Dr. Paul Offit agreed to match donations up to $10,000.
While a number of pro-vaccine people had donated, nearly $500 has been raised thus far by anti-vaccine activists such as Joseph Mercola, Dr. Tenpenny, Barbara Loe Fisher, Dr. Bob Sears, Meryl Dorey, Jenny McCarthy, and Sharyl Attkisson. Even the “Food Babe,” Vani Hari and the book “Melanie’s Marvelous Measles” made donations, as did “Modern Alternative Mama” Kate Tietje. Many of the donors expressed remorse for their anti-vaccine activities, with the news reporter Sharyl Attkisson saying her donation was for “reparation for inaccurate, offensive statements made on air,” for example.
Though the news surprised many in the pro-vaccine community, others said the move was expected. “What people in the anti-vaccine movement crave more than anything is attention,” said psychologist Anna Mintzer Kraft. “Once they saw that there was buzz around this fundraiser, they were more than willing to donate as long as it gave them the opportunity to promote themselves. Since most of them are selling something, they viewed this like everything in life, an opportunity to advertise – nothing more.”
A number of anti-vaccine doctors including Suzanne Humphries, Toni Bark, Russell Blaylock, Larry Palevsky, and Kelly Brogan have yet to donate. However, according to Dr. Kraft, “as soon as they recognize this is an opportunity to promote themselves and their products, I am sure donations will be forthcoming.”
Anyone wishing to donate can do so at: https://www.crowdrise.com/shillarmy
