Over the course of my two years plus as your District Foundation Chair, I’m quite certain you have picked up on my personal focus on the fight to eradicate Polio. I have personally had the honor of working with some incredible individuals in the field in India administering over 2,000 vaccines to children myself during my Rotary years of service. It is an experience I will never forget. As many of you may know, I went through some health issues a few years back and one of the things I was required to do during my recovery was to have all vaccines readministered to me. One of those vaccines was the Polio vaccine which I had originally received when I was a child myself. The significance of taking the vaccine again was certainly not lost on me personally.

October 24 is World Polio Day. It is a day where worldwide we celebrate all that has been accomplished in the quest toward eradication of this disease. This is a very important day on many levels, and I fear it is a day that escapes most of the world in its meaning. Over the last several months you have heard me talk about the Iron Lung and its use in the early days and how we saw the last user of the Iron Lung pass away just a couple of months ago. I read an article a week before writing this article that highlights very poignantly why I believe the significance of October 24 escapes the attention of most. The article revolved around a documentary by Professor Carl Kurlander entitled, “The Shot Felt ‘Round the World." Professor Kurlander was asked to explain his stance suggesting that the polio vaccination was experiencing a “success paradox” and what he meant by that. Kurlander had been saying that many people no longer remember the Iron Lung and, as he put it, no longer remember the childhood paralysis or the fear surrounding polio. This is coupled with his fear that people may forget why the polio vaccines and the push for eradication still matter.

Kurlander indicated that, “the vaccines have been a victim of their own success.” He went on to say that the younger generations, because they have not had to face the fear of the disease, are no longer finding it emotionally compelling.

At the insistence of his child’s fourth grade teacher, Kurlander showed the class his documentary and he stated the children looked at it as if they were watching a cross between a horror movie and a dark fairy tale. Most of us have no recollection of the fact that in the 1930’s – 1950’s summer was called the “polio season” and that many local and state health authorities shut down public swimming pools and theaters. Parents of the day were even afraid to let their children attend birthday parties for fear of contracting the disease.

It is fascinating to me to think that this kind of thought process could exist when you consider that Polio still exists in the wild in two countries today - Pakistan and Afghanistan. I guess, however, when you consider that it has been wiped out here in the states, and really this entire hemisphere, that it is far from the population’s mind. All of this is to say that October 24 is perhaps even more important to focus on and that we as Rotarians have an obligation to make sure it is brought to the forefront and kept in the consciousness of the younger generations.

There is a second article related to Polio this month I want to make sure you see - written by Lee Holliingsworth, the District’s Major Gifts Chair - encouraging all clubs to hold a fundraiser specifically for Polio to continue the fight toward eradication. DG Cynthia also supports this. We must continue to raise dollars and the awareness for Polio. Every dollar counts and don’t forget the 2 to 1 match by the Gates Foundation. And, your dollars go toward your Foundation contribution totals.

If I can personally assist you in any way, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me via cell or email. Until next time, I’m here to help and together we will Create Lasting Impact!