The tragic and preventable death of a Barnsley woman from rabies has inspired her daughter, a trained nurse, to launch a life-saving mission to vaccinate dogs across the world.
A Fatal Scratch on Holiday
In February, Yvonne Ford returned to her home in Barnsley from a holiday in Morocco, full of praise for the country. She had no idea that a seemingly minor interaction with a puppy while sitting in the sun would have devastating consequences. For months, she showed no signs of illness. It was not until June that flu-like symptoms began, which rapidly escalated into severe headaches, fever, and an inability to walk or eat.
Her daughter, Robyn Thomson, a qualified nurse, was baffled, as were the doctors. By the time Yvonne was admitted to hospital in Sheffield and diagnosed with rabies, it was too late. The virus, transmitted through saliva and causing brain inflammation, is almost always fatal once symptoms appear. Yvonne Ford died on 11 June, aged 59.
She became only the seventh person in the UK to die from rabies since the year 2000. "It didn't feel real," Robyn recalled, struggling with the disbelief that a small mark could end her mother's life. "I remember thinking it had to be something else."
Turning Grief into Global Action
Determined to create something positive from the tragedy, Robyn vowed to help bring the global rabies death toll down. Outside the UK, approximately 60,000 people die from the disease each year. Through a consultant at Sheffield hospital, she was put in touch with the charity Mission Rabies.
"I just said absolutely," Robyn stated. "It felt like something I had to do. I felt like I needed to do something to help and make a difference." She believes the issue is often overlooked in the UK. "It's on the other side of the world, people don't care that much... But it affects people somewhere, and that's why we're doing this."
Partnering with the charity, Robyn and her husband, Andrew, travelled to Cambodia in October to begin their vaccination mission. Their goal was ambitious: to immunise 70% of the local dog population, a threshold scientific evidence shows is enough to break the cycle of transmission.
Record-Breaking Vaccination Drive in Cambodia
The couple immersed themselves in the intense work, motivating each other with a friendly competition to see who could vaccinate the most dogs each day. Their efforts contributed to a staggering achievement. They helped vaccinate a record 10,000 dogs in a single day in one area.
"It's a bit of a blur because we did so many," Robyn said, unable to recall who won their daily challenge. Luke Gamble, the chief executive of Mission Rabies, praised their dedication. "This isn't easy work – it's going door to door, from dawn until dusk in intense heat," he said. "Both Robyn and Andrew have been an inspiration to all of us."
Robyn's mission is far from over. Her next target is Malawi, another global hotspot for rabies, with plans to travel there next year dependent on fundraising. She hopes to establish an annual tradition of volunteering in her mother's memory.
"I'd love it to be a thing we do every year, helping different people every time," Robyn said. "I want to turn what happened into a positive, and I want to help people like Mum."
