“The Pain Was Worse Than Childbirth”: Why Shingles Awareness and Prevention Can’t Wait
At 79 years old, Reverend Dianne Parker continues to do what she has always done: show up for her community.
An Anglican priest in Nova Scotia, Parker is a C.A.R.P. Nova Scotia Board member, an honourary assistant priest, and a tireless advocate for older adults. Her work has included pastoral care, teaching, community advocacy and serving as Pastor to core members, as well as serving as an Assistant at L’Arche Halifax, a residence that supports people with diverse abilities.
Then shingles changed everything.
Parker developed shingles in her early 70s and was later diagnosed with breast cancer. What followed was a devastating overlap of illness and treatment. As she underwent radiation therapy for cancer, recurring shingles flare-ups made the treatment excruciating, compounding her pain at a time when her body was already under immense strain.
“The pain was worse than childbirth,” she recalls. “Radiation was already difficult, but shingles made it unbearable. As a widow living alone, there were moments when I had to call a neighbour just to help apply the cream to my back. It strips you of your independence.”
Shingles (herpes zoster) is caused by the reactivation of the virus that causes chickenpox, something nearly all older Canadians carry. While often dismissed as a short-term rash, shingles can lead to debilitating pain, long-term nerve damage and a serious loss of independence, particularly for older adults and those with weakened immune systems.
Yet despite being largely preventable, shingles remains widespread.
According to the National Institute on Ageing’s new report, The Overlooked Issue of Shingles Infections in Older Canadians and How to Address It, approximately 130,000 new shingles cases occur in Canada every year. The report estimates that shingles infections cost Canada’s health care system$67–82 million annually, driven largely by cases and complications among adults aged 60 and older.
Despite strong national guidance, protection remains low. Canada’s National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) strongly recommends the shingles vaccine for adults aged 50 and older, as well as immunocompromised adults aged 18 and older. Yet fewer than four in ten Canadians aged 50+ have received even a single dose.
For Parker, that gap in awareness had life-altering consequences.
“I didn’t even know there was a shingles vaccine,” she says. “No one told me.
Dr. Samir Sinha, director of health policy research at the National Institute on Ageing and one of the authors of the NIA report, notes that it’s never too late to benefit from a shingles vaccination. Parker’s experience, however, reflects a broader system failure. The NIA’s report shows that shingles vaccine access in Canada is highly fragmented. Of the country’s 13 provinces and territories, only eight provide any public coverage for the recommended vaccine and just two provinces, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador, offer age-based coverage for all adults aged 50 and older. For those without public or private coverage, the required two-dose vaccine can cost $300–$400 out of pocket, creating a significant barrier for many older Canadians.
Today, Parker has become a strong voice for prevention. She encourages everyone to get vaccinated and has since received the vaccine, which significantly lessens her future chance of getting shingles and will also ease her symptoms if she experiences another flare-up.
For Parker, advocacy is part of healing.
She speaks openly about the need for better public education, stronger clinician engagement, and a coordinated, community-wide approach to vaccination, one that brings together governments, health professionals, community organizations and trusted sources to counter misinformation and improve access.
“Life-changing illness forces you to rebalance,” she reflects. “But purpose matters. Compassion matters. And preventing others from going through what I did—that matters most of all.”
This Shingles Awareness Week, the message is clear: shingles is common, serious and largely preventable. Awareness, access and action can mean the difference between years of unnecessary pain.
In Nova Scotia, Shingles vaccination is free for those who are 65 and older.
Canadians aged 50 and older are encouraged to speak with their health care providers or pharmacists about shingles vaccination.