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Most read: Samoan family heartbroken after losing two babies to rare genetic condition following MMR jabs - 'Living the nightmare all over again'

July 12, 2018

Alana-Rae and Jamie Ray Laulu are thought to have had a life-threatening immunodeficiency that affects one in a million children.

As Samoans grieve for two infants who died within minutes of receiving the MMR vaccine, another mourning family has come forward after two of their babies also died after being immunised.

Grieving parents Karl and Christine Laulu lost their babies, Alana-Rae and Jamie Ray, shortly after they received the MMR vaccine in Samoa.

"Children are supposed to be the ones that put their parents to rest but in our case, it’s both of them. We have been so unfortunate to have this happen," Mr Laulu told 1 NEWS' Pacific correspondent Barbara Dreaver. 

Alana-Rae died in April at Starship Hospital after being medivacced to New Zealand from Samoa.

Her brother, Jamie Ray, died two years ago.

Both children deteriorated steadily after receiving the MMR vaccine in Samoa.

"He was in so much pain. I told him everything is going to be OK, we're just going to fix this then go home," Mr Laulu said.

However, Jamie Ray never made it home after high fevers led to massive organ failure.

Doctors suspected typhoid, sepsis and dengue, but "there was never the conclusion that it was the MMR shot", Ms Laulu said.

"That's why we never linked it until Alana-Rae."

After Alana-Rae was immunised, she developed the same symptoms as her brother.

"It was like living the nightmare all over again for a second time," she said.

Starship Hospital specialists discovered she possibly had a life-threatening immunodeficiency, and it was likely her brother did, too.

"Once the MMR injection was given to them, their bodies went into hypodrive and that's not supposed to happen," Mr Laulu said.

The extremely rare disorder affects one in a million children.

However, despite the tragedies, the couple don't blame anyone for what happened to their two babies, even thanking the Samoan government and medical services in Samoa and New Zealand for their help.

They do, however, want answers, and remain in New Zealand as they wait for the results of genetic testing.

"We wont be able to get that back in Samoa. There's no resources for them to help us," Ms Laulu said.

"I don't think we have the strength to go back and pick up the millions and millions of pieces," Mr Laulu said.

The Laulus have come forward after hearing about the recent deaths.

"It's just sad that we had to hear that another two families have to go through the same thing without knowing why.”

*The MMR vaccine is recommended for all children in New Zealand, and the Ministry of Health says it has an “excellent safety record”.

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