Newsletter - Archive  Jun 5, 2010

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Polio for Life - A Report from Barbara Fox

I went to the District Conference June 5, specifically to find out more about Polio and the fight to eradicate the crippling disease.

With Rotary International and Bill Gates joining forces with the World Health Organization, you would think Polio would not have a chance.

I myself admit to forgetting about Polio since I live in America, it is a disease most people today have no concept, they merely have their children vaccinated when they are babies and never give it a second thought.

As a child, I lived through the Polio scares of the summer. Afraid to go swimming at the local pool, afraid of getting over heated and then drinking cold water…an old wives tale that directed you to first rinse your hands before drinking…the pictures of Iron Lungs on the Easter Seal campaign or the poster child with metal braces and crutches with the twisted useless legs.

The campaign to eradicate polio has produced results and only four countries remain endemic…India, Nigeria, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Unfortunately Switzerland found the virus in their sewer system and the carrier could have come from anywhere, unaffected by the virus but never-the-less a carrier. Even in the U. S. there are people who refuse the immunization taking the risk of causing an outbreak with potentially fatal results.

Rotarians can work to eradicated this disease by helping to raise the funds to match the Bill Gates challenge or by taking a NID mission trip to a country still struggling with Polio.

Barbara Fox

Arvada Sunrise Rotary