Measles: Mum issues vaccine plea after daughter’s death from rare complication | The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.Jump to contentIndependentSwipe for next articleIndependent Bulletin homepageDownload ourSocial PartnerWe are 8 logo (opens in a new tab)AllNewsSportCultureLifestyleRebecca Thomas Health EditorSunday 22 February 2026 08:56 GMT‘Big measles outbreak’ affecting children under 10 confirmed in LondonSarah Walton died at 45 from subacute sclerosing pan-encephalitis (SSPE), a rare and devastating brain condition caused by a mutated measles virus.She caught measles at 11 months old – too young for the MMR vaccine – and developed SSPE at 25, which gradually robbed her of the ability to walk, talk, and swallow.Her mother, Jo Walton, is now urging parents to get their children vaccinated with the MMR jab, stressing that SSPE is a preventable illness that should not be happening in the 21st century.Ms Walton said that measles can cause fatal complications, including encephalitis and severe neurological illnesses, and that vaccination can prevent such tragedies.This plea comes amidst national concern in the UK over decreased measles vaccine uptake, which has led to a recent outbreak in northeast London.In full‘My daughter had measles as a baby – 45 years later a devastating complication of the virus killed her’Thank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in