Q&A: Why Demeduk Took the Shot and Family Impact¶
Day 2 · 1:11:41 · Dean Allison · Vienna Demeduk · Cameron Hitchcock · Shawn Buckley
- 💼 She did not want the vaccine but took one Moderna dose mainly to keep work and visit family amid travel rules.
- 👨👩👧 Family is supportive yet largely silent; relatives were urged to vaccinate to “protect mom” while she was in ICU.
- 🎤 She testifies for aphasic friends and others who cannot speak, calling VISP a colossal joke she will not re-appeal.
Chair and counsel probe motivation and family effects.
← Daily Limitations: Cane, Ataxia, Fatigue, and Death Book | Cameron Hitchcock Sworn: Healthy 30-Year-Old on Dialysis →
Transcript¶
Dean Allison · 1:11:42
You said you had one vaccine?
Vienna Demeduk · 1:11:44
One. I had a Moderna, yes.
Dean Allison · 1:11:46
Were you worried about getting the vaccine before you got it?
Vienna Demeduk · 1:11:50
Yeah, I didn't want to take it.
Cameron Hitchcock · 1:11:51
You didn't want to take it?
Vienna Demeduk · 1:11:52
No, absolutely not.
Shawn Buckley · 1:11:53
What, what changed your mind?
Dean Allison · 1:11:55
Made you take the—.
Vienna Demeduk · 1:11:55
There was a lot of things going on in my private life that I won't speak about that I wanted to be financially stable as I was moving through that. And I was good at what I did, and I could have done it for many years, especially with how physically fit I was. And then that was taken from me.
Vienna Demeduk · 1:12:12
But I—.
Vienna Demeduk · 1:12:13
It was mainly to keep my job. Yeah. And I also worked full-time in Winnipeg at a clinic, and I couldn't get on a plane to do my job, right? It was almost all that, because I just thought, this is insane. Like, an emergency use authorization— authorization for a a shot that no, you know, it's just, it's one thing to do that. And but to mandate it was a huge issue for me. Like, and where I made the biggest mistake was trusting the media even slightly because I thought I would have seen more injuries. Like, I was so naive back then, but I'm not anymore. You know, I had to go down that, take that lid off Pandora's box.
Dean Allison · 1:12:55
I think a lot of people feel the same way.
Shawn Buckley · 1:12:57
With not wanting the vaccine, but in order to have a daily life where you go to work, keep your job.
Vienna Demeduk · 1:13:06
It was mainly for work and to see my children in Winnipeg and my grandson at the time.
Cameron Hitchcock · 1:13:11
I feel your pain.
Dean Allison · 1:13:12
I was in construction. I couldn't— I live in Brunswick. Yeah, I had projects in Nova Scotia and PEI, right?
Shawn Buckley · 1:13:19
And we weren't allowed to cross the border into Nova Scotia. Yeah, when you had jobs have to get finished.
Cameron Hitchcock · 1:13:24
We had to—.
Dean Allison · 1:13:26
I had to get the vaccines in order to keep working. So I feel your concerns on why you had to get it.
Vienna Demeduk · 1:13:33
Well, it was the one time in my life I didn't analyze things to death either. I just thought, okay, I'm just going to go with it. I'm just gonna— I'm gonna do this. I'll be the guinea pig. Let's see what happens. And it did not end well. I mean, you know, it's, um, you know, like I said, it's, it's Like, thank God I have a huge sense of humor because I just think back on it and I just think it's like, it's—.
Vienna Demeduk · 1:13:56
You can't even write—.
Vienna Demeduk · 1:13:57
Make this stuff up. Like, you know, and, um, luckily Sean reins me in because, yeah, there's just so much more to that story. But, um, yeah, I'm—.
Dean Allison · 1:14:07
Yeah, it is unfortunate because we leave it up to the medical professionals to tell us it's safe.
Shawn Buckley · 1:14:14
And then when we hear the stories over and over and over again that it wasn't safe for everyone—.
Vienna Demeduk · 1:14:20
I didn't believe it was safe, actually. But that's where, you know, if I could go back in time— but I can't because, um, you know, this is, this is my path right now. Here I am, you know, like, it's very surreal. It didn't seem like this is something that I'm going to do, but, um, like, I appreciate you're here, and, um, the ones that have showed up. And I just think, well, what can you do going forward? Like, what do you see yourself doing going forward?
Dean Allison · 1:14:50
Well, I've had meetings before.
Shawn Buckley · 1:14:52
Yeah, before we— Dean asked me about the inquiry, right?
Dean Allison · 1:14:55
And I've met with, uh, some doctors that don't want their name to be told.
Shawn Buckley · 1:15:02
No, I've met with, uh, funeral directors that tell us about, right, what they deal with, with blood clots, right, in their profession. Uh, and I've met with people like yourself that have been through the process with injuries, and they seem to hit roadblocks and can't get anywhere.
Dean Allison · 1:15:20
So I think for us as MPs, we got to take these stories and go back and talk to the other MPs and bring it forward for, for everyone. And it's great that there's so many independent media with us here this week to tell their—.
Cameron Hitchcock · 1:15:32
To tell us your stories.
Shawn Buckley · 1:15:34
Yes, and get it out to the, to the public to let them know. I got a couple more questions.
Cameron Hitchcock · 1:15:39
Uh, sure.
Dean Allison · 1:15:40
How's it affect your— affected your family through the process?
Vienna Demeduk · 1:15:48
Do you know what, at that time—.
Dean Allison · 1:15:51
Because at the end of the day, family, everybody relies on family when they get in tough situations.
Vienna Demeduk · 1:15:57
You know, it's, it's funny, like I know they're hugely supportive. I don't want to speak for them, but I sometimes wonder, like, everybody took those shots. My family took those because when I was in the ICU, the doctors were constantly telling them that, you know, you got to protect your mom. She's, you know, like, so yeah, everybody had these shots and I worry every day about them. It's funny, like, my family's almost really silent about it. My sister was the only one who didn't take the shot in our family, and, um, you know, like she said, she felt she had more of a choice. She was retired, she lives in a small town, she didn't have to travel, like, to make that choice.
Shawn Buckley · 1:16:42
So I'm sorry, I have to cut you off. Yes, to bring another witness in.
Vienna Demeduk · 1:16:46
For sure.
Shawn Buckley · 1:16:47
I don't want to be that person to tell someone at the end of the day—.
Vienna Demeduk · 1:16:49
You can tell me to shut up.
Shawn Buckley · 1:16:51
Oh no. You know what? I think—.
Vienna Demeduk · 1:16:54
Thank you for your questions.
Shawn Buckley · 1:16:56
This is being streamed around the world.
Vienna Demeduk · 1:16:58
Yes.
Shawn Buckley · 1:16:58
And I think the entire world appreciates your sense of humor and your courage. You sit here with a smile and very courageous. And yet you've shared with us a journey that shows a real depth of character.
Cameron Hitchcock · 1:17:11
And we're honored.
Vienna Demeduk · 1:17:13
Thank you. I appreciate it. Appreciate being chosen to come and speak.
Speaker J · 1:17:16
Thank you.