A TOTNES mum has spoken of the agony the word measles causes her because of the danger it poses to her three-year-old son.

And now MP Sarah Woolaston, who lives in Lustleigh, wants to highlight the benefits of community immunisation.

Little Nathaniel Gale is unable to have the MMR vaccination because of the medication he has to take after a liver transplant needed to help him fight a rare disease.

But that leaves him dangerously vulnerable to catching measles in an area where vaccination take up is known to be low.

Mum Clare said: 'As the controversial topic of vaccination hits the news once more I wanted to offer a personal perspective as to why immunising your child doesn't just affect you and your child, it has an effect of the whole community.

'When someone says measles a shiver goes down my spine. For our three year old son, Nathaniel, coming into contact with the measles is life threatening.

'When Nathaniel was a baby, he was diagnosed with a rare and life threatening liver disease called Biliary Atresia, and after many agonising months at Birmingham Children's Hospital he had a liver transplant.

'The medication that he takes to keep his new liver healthy has the side effect of suppressing his immune system, making him extremely vulnerable to viruses and infections and he is unable to have vaccinations such as the MMR. 'Measles is a particularly serious and virulent virus, and is potentially fatal for healthy children, never mind children like Nathaniel who are immunosuppressed. ' She continued: 'Measles is not something to be ignored or taken lightly, with potential complications and effects including meningitis, swelling of the brain, blindness and deafness.

'In our town 30 per cent of children have not had the MMR vaccine, which is one of the highest rates in the country. This makes the children of Totnes vulnerable. It is a very alarming and frightening situation for our family who are relying on the community to help us keep our son healthy.

'Our community needs to reach a level where 95 per cent of children have been vaccinated to stop a potential measles epidemic within the area.

'Don't just think of our son, make sure your child is protected by giving them the MMR, and by doing so you will also help to protect my vulnerable child.'

Clare said: 'Leatside surgery and Catherine House Surgery are offering special MMR clinics during half term for children who have not yet been vaccinated, so please, please spare five minutes to make sure your family is protected. 'Let's learn the lessons of the measles epidemic in Swansea.'

Clare has contacted Totnes MP Dr Sarah Wollaston, who said: 'This sets out the real meaning of community immunity. Immunising your child not only protects your own family from measles, a completely preventable serious infection but could help save the life of your neighbour's child.

'Our town is at particularly high risk if measles spreads from south Wales because we have such low immunisation rates. Please don't leave it until this infection arrives as that will put children like Nathaniel at far greater risk.'

Open access MMR clinics where no appointment is necessary for children including those 10 to 16 year olds who are most likely not to be immunised are being held at Leatside Surgery from Tuesday to Friday 10am to 1pm, and Catherine House Surgery from Tuesday to Friday 8.30 to 11.30 am. Both surgeries will happily offer other times by appointment, medical sources say.