World Polio Day
There is no cure for polio. It is a crippling and potentially fatal infectious disease striking children under the age of five. The best protection is prevention.
On October 24, the Rotary Club of Arlington Heights will be joining more than 34,000 Rotary clubs worldwide to raise awareness and funding to eradicate polio around the globe during End Polio Now Day.
Money generated from the RotarySantaRun.org, organized by the Arlington Heights Rotarians will be designated for countries working to eradicate this disease. For more information explore endpolio.org.
For more than 20 years, Rotarians and their friends have worked tirelessly to keep our promise to the world's children and it is now within our grasp. Rotary International, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, UNICEF, the U.S. Center for Disease Control, the World Health Organization and governments around the world have teamed up to halt the spread of the polio virus in all but three remaining countries—Nigeria, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
In February, Arlington Heights residents and fellow Rotarians Wendy Davis and Linda Borton traveled to India to aid families with children by administering vaccines. Efforts by thousands of Rotarians have helped to bring this country into a polio-free status.
“When they have the opportunity to have their children vaccinated - free - it is an overwhelming relief to the parents,” Davis said. “They are very grateful to the many health workers who track down the children in need even if they live in very remote areas. Being able to ensure a child will be polio free is a humbling experience. Even though I will probably never see these children again I know I have made a difference in the life of each child I vaccinated.”
Health experts agree that other challenges must be overcome in order to reach the goal of polio eradication. Maintaining funding is always a challenge. Follow through on political commitments to implement the eradication strategies is also an issue.
Polio can cause paralysis within hours and polio paralysis is almost always irreversible. High infant immunization coverage with four doses of the oral polio vaccine in the first year of life is critical. Just think, with $2.40 worth of vaccine, a child can be protected for life. We are this close. Together, we can do this.
For more information about the End Polio Now campaign, please visit rotaryah.org or endpolio.org.
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