Irene Van Dyk and Susan Devoy have teamed up with Vicks for the Road to Relief campaign in conjunction with UNICEF – an initiative to raise funds to immunise children in developing countries against measles.

Pneumonia is a serious and common complication of measles and kills more children than any other illness, including AIDS, malaria and measles combined.

Every time someone buys a specially marked Vicks Road to Relief product purchased between now and August 2011, Vicks will pay for one child in a developing country to be immunised against measles, to help in the fight against pneumonia. According to latest UNICEF figures, pneumonia kills almost two million children in developing countries every year.

Last year, the successful initiative saw Kiwis and Australians secure 2.3 million vaccinations in Bangladesh, Vietnam and Papua New Guinea.

The Executive Director of UNICEF NZ, Dennis McKinlay, says pneumonia is the “forgotten killer” of children and despite claiming the lives of millions of children, it receives little attention.

McKinlay says immunisation is the difference between life and death in developing countries and more needs to be done to stop the “lethal” spread of pneumonia.

“This year funds donated by Kiwis and Australians will go towards immunizing another two million children in Laos and Somalia. We really hope that families once again get on board with this initiative and help give these children access to the basic medical attention we have at our fingertips every day,” he says.

You can help by buying Vicks Road to Relief products including; Vicks Baby Balsam (RRP $9.69), Vicks Vaporub 50g (RRP $9.91), Vicks Vaporub 100g (RRP $15.32), Vicks Cough Syrup – Honey (RRP $12.77), Total Vicks First Defence (RRP $17.37), Vicks Vaporub Greaseless Cream (RRP $9.69), Vicks Inhaler (RRP $8.02), Vicks Vapodrops (RRP from $3.83) and Vicks Cough Lozenges (RRP $8.13). Available from supermarkets and pharmacies nationwide.

For more information about the campaign and the countries that will benefit from New Zealanders’ support this winter, visit www.vicksroadtorelief.com

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