And, after all that, she had to face Tom’s disappointment, too.
“What were you thinking? Didn’t Matt tell you not to discuss things publicly? Didn’the tell you to keep your mouth closed?” he bellowed, making Madeleine flinch.
“Tom, please, don’t yell at me. Gemma Moore ambushed me. Completely trapped me! What was I supposed to do?”
Her husband looked incredulous. “Pull your mic out and walk off the set! That’s what I would have done.”
She shook her head. “From a PR point of view, that would have been a disaster. Gemma behaved like a bully and I was right to stand my ground. I think the public will—”
“For the love of God, Madeleine, who cares what the public thinks? When will you get it into your head that this is not some marketing campaign, this isour life! And God only knows what could come out if someone really decides to dig their heels in—personal, private family things that need to remain that way.”
She knew what he meant, and even though it had been so difficult on many occasions not to just get it over with and bare her soul about their experience, she had gone out of her way to ensure that she kept the focus away from the personal. “I know that, of course I know that, but Tom, for the last week our family has been vilified! Surely we’re entitled to defend ourselves—”
“We are payingsolicitorsto defend us. We are trusting legal professionals with putting together a logical and well-thought-out case to protect our interests. But in the meantime, you persist in taking to the internet and going on live television at every opportunity and basically tearing every part of our strategy to complete shit!” He threw his hands up in the air in exasperation. “Madeleine—this media thing—it has to stop,” he said softly. “I don’t want you anywhere near a radio or TV studio from now on. Agreed?”
Madeleine had been studying the floor, but now her head flew up. “But I can’t. I’ve been offered a publishing contract, and my profile is obviously a huge part of that. I can’t break it.”
“Seriously, what are they going to do? Sue you? Well, bring it on. What’s another lawsuit at this point? And, you said it yourself, since this whole thing came out, people have essentially vilified us, ridiculed you, complete strangers on the internet reducing you to tears. Don’t think I haven’t seen what’s being written and what it must be doing to you...”
Seeing fresh tears form in his wife’s eyes now, Tom went to her and bent down on one knee. “Honey, I’m sorry—I shouldn’t have shouted like that earlier. And OK, maybe before now I did discount how important all of this stuff is to you. But don’t you think our future as a family is more important to protect just now? And whywouldyou want to make yourself a target and risk being put on the spot again by some shit-stirring journo who obviously has some sort of vendetta against you...us.Hasn’t this family been through enough already with all this...this goddamn vaccination thing?”
Madeleine felt tears begin to fall down her cheeks. He was right. They’d already been put through the ringer enough in the past. And now people were being openly horrible: making fun of her, being vicious toward herandher family.
She had already seen a few internet jokes that had done the rounds recently—images of her wearing a tinfoil hat and looking conspiracy-theory crazy.
Tom was right. It was over. She was no longer Mad Mum; she was now Stone-Crazy Mum. People were laughing at her, criticizing her, vilifying her, and the alter-ego moniker that had once been such a good idea was now the butt of a terrible, unfunny joke.
“We’re going to get through this, honey,” said Tom softly, pulling her close. “But for now, we need to circle the wagons and put on a united front. And we have to trust our solicitors. No more public stuff, OK?”
“OK.” Moving into his embrace, Madeleine silently agreed to his request. Tom was right: he, Jake and Clara—all her family—were the most important thing just now.
And she couldn’t run the risk of losing them, too.
* * *
MUMMYBOARDS.IE
Forum > Health Matters > NEW TOPIC > Mad Mum Vaccination Case?
SallyQ: Anyone see Madeleine Cooper on Morning Coffee this morning? What did you think about Gemma Moore confronting her straight out about being responsible for that little girl’s illness? I had a bit of a debate with another mum at the school gate about it earlier. Can you seriously be held accountable for not choosing to get your kids vaccinated? Her reckoning was that the likes of Madeleine Cooper and “those hippie types” who don’t vaccinate put everybody else’s kids at risk and should even have their own taken off them for neglect! WTF—last time I checked this was a democracy? Seriously, I’m not a Cooper fangirl, but she does talk sense a lot of the time. Watching that this morning and reading some of the stuff in the paper lately she is being seriously demonized for making a choice for her kids in good faith. Don’t think it’s fair.
Lllllly1: Didn’t see the show but most people I’ve spoken to about that case are either black or white about it. Many parents who got the health board letter about vaccinations went along with it without a second thought and I can’t understand how anybody wouldn’t even question it.
When I got the call to get the MMR for my DD I struggled with it for weeks. I’d heard the rumors about links to autism. I looked at my happy, smiling baby and knew I couldn’t live with myself if I went along with it and she developed problems. But, in the end, I went ahead after speaking with my GP. Ultimately there are leaps of faith involved with every decision we make for our kids. I feel sorry for all parties involved with that case though.
Wexican7: Sorry, but I have to say I feel no sympathy for Madeleine Cooper. As far as I’m concerned it is reckless endangerment. Hope the courts come down hard on her and set an example to other would-be conspiracy theorists and scaremongers.
RainbowK: Wow, that’s a bit harsh. Vaccinations are voluntary, how can somebody be prosecuted for making a decision not to vaccinate if it was their right to choose?
Wexican7: Fair point, maybe that’s why vaccinations need to be compulsory; that way everybody knows where they stand.
GoodyGumDrops: This whole thing scares the life out of me tbh. When the time came for us to get the MMR for our first, we just went along with it—ignorance was bliss. We are due to get my youngest done next week, and with all the hullabaloo surrounding this case and some of the stuff being posted online it feels a bit like playing Russian roulette. My friend’s son actually developed autism a couple of years back; she swears she watched him change after getting his shots. To see her struggle day in, day out breaks my heart and has me torn asunder about whether to get my DD done at all...
CorkGal: Girls, I think some perspective is needed here: there are no proven links between the MMR vaccine and autism. The initial signs of autism materialize in the same age group that the first round of MMR shots are given to—this does NOT mean that one causes the other. Yes, there is a leap of faith involved, but that goes hand in hand with being a parent. How many cases of medical misadventure do we hear in the news? Kids and mothers developing all manner of complications because of misdiagnosis or malpractice in maternity hospitals. Does this mean that we should give birth at home because hospitals are dangerous?
DebbieD: +1 CorkGal. I think that case against Madeleine Cooper should be thrown out. It’s a parent’s prerogative to make a decision on what they feel is best for their family, and leaving people open to prosecution for making those decisions opens a huge can of worms IMO.
Moodyblue: Guys, I think a lot of people here, OP included, are missing the point. Madeleine Cooper is NOT being prosecuted for refusing the MMR vaccination. She is being pursued because she refused the shots, and then did not give due care and attention when her daughter displayed symptoms of a disease. This caused another vulnerable child to become very ill and develop potentially life-altering complications. Basically, it’s a duty of care issue stemming from the vaccination issue, not the vaccination stance itself.
