Page 60 - Winter2020

• CHARLENE BOLLINGER got wind of the event late. (Remember, it was pulled together in less than three weeks.)
Nonetheless, she and her videographer made the ten-hour drive to join in at the last minute. Charlene and her
husband Ty are the authors of several books and the driving force behind summits such as “The Truth about
Cancer” and “The Truth about Vaccines.” From the stage, Charlene shared how she and Ty were motivated to
uncover truth when they realized that conventional cancer protocols (radiation, chemotherapy and surgery)
statistically offered no improvement in outcomes over no treatment at all. They began exploring options and, after
sharing their knowledge about alternative health options for cancer, did the same for vaccines.

• DEL BIGTREE is the host of the online show “The Highwire” and the founder of the Informed Consent Action
Network (ICAN). With parents who had an “alternative health” bent, Bigtree was not vaccinated as a child. When
he became one of the producers of the Emmy-award-winning program, “The Doctors,” he made sure that the
show covered a variety of health topics from an alternative perspective. The network was pleased with the ratings
and for the most part welcomed his different point of view—except when it came to the topic of vaccines. When
Bigtree suggested producing a show that would highlight vaccine dangers, he got a hard “no” from the network.
This aroused his curiosity and suspicion. which ultimately led him to join forces with Andy Wakefield to produce
Vaxxed. Del described it as his personal mission to confront all reporters who approaches him and to challenge
them about whether they have studied the science. He also reminded the crowd that this is not a time to shrink
back but rather to press on and fight.

A group of courageous “warrior moms” spoke out about well-child visits gone wrong. They shared story after
story about how vaccines were the catalyst for a downward spiral in their children’s health. The crowd nodded and
applauded in support and agreement. One of the moms who spoke began second-guessing herself the moment she
left the stage, concerned that she might have jeopardized her work as a physician by speaking out. Unfortunately, her
worries are well-founded. By speaking out on this controversial topic, each of us risks losing friends, family, our reputa-
tion and perhaps even our livelihood. But it comes down to this—we must speak out when we see wrong being done.
Andy Wakefield is a living example of what it looks like to speak out, despite the risks. Wakefield is the doctor
who stood by the results of a study indicating a possible link between autism and the MMR vaccine. He was taken
to court and lost both his reputation and his career as a physician. Nonetheless, he has remained steadfast as an
advocate for children’s health. He is the director of Vaxxed and now 1986: The Act. He also recently launched the
Andy Wakefield Podcast (on SoundCloud).
The day after the event, I spotted Andy outside the hotel before he left for the airport. He was singing “Don’t Be
Cruel.” After a bit of chit-chat (he says he’s not really a singer), I said to him, “Andy, I think we’re winning. I feel like
we’re just on the cusp of victory. But maybe you’ve heard that a lot over the years.” He replied “I’ve been in this field
for over thirty years. I think you’re right. We are winning.”
So take heart as you fight for freedom. We are on the winning side—the side that stands for truth and health and
children. Stand strong. And stand with us.

58 Wise Traditions WINTER 2020