Rotarians raising awareness for Global Polio Eradication

CHELAN – Rotary launched PolioPlus in 1985 to help immunize the children of the World against Polio. In 2017, only 22 cases of Polio were recorded, yet Rotary is committed to Polio eradication until the World is certified Polio-free.

In the United States Polio was gone by the 90’s, so many of us might not exactly know what it is. “Polio is a virus, a lot of people can get exposed to the virus and they never have any disease, or they get a cold, a fever and their body clears it out,” explained Lake Chelan Rotary President Ty Witt.

Out of 200 people who contract the virus, only one will have the disease. “The disease can be anything from just some weakness that goes away or if a child gets it, a leg or arm or part of their body completely doesn’t development, or they never be strong again,” Witt added.

When the disease is more advance it can cause breathing difficulties or paralysis. However, “our own DNA make up determines,” how Polio can effect each of us.

Everyday 360,000 children are born and they have to be protected, “otherwise they will be a new avenue for the virus to infect and effect, so every child in the world that’s been born has to be vaccinated.”

The fight against Polio “is one of the biggest public health accomplishments of all time,” because of this two weeks ago, Witt read off the World Polio Day Proclamation during a regular Chelan City Council meeting. That evening Chelan Mayor Mike Cooney proclaimed Oct. 24 as World Polio Day in Chelan.

On World Polio Day in Chelan,  starting at 5:00 p.m., Lake Chelan Rotary is having a reception at the Lake Chelan Chamber of Commerce, which the public is welcome to attend. All the Rotarians will be bringing food and drinks and on the screens those attending will be able to watch a live streaming presentation from Rotary International President Barry Rassin, on the topic.

This event will also serve as way to fundraise. “Every dollar that we donate is matched with a two to one from the Bill Gates Grant and that adds up to billions  of dollars,” said Witt.

If Rotary along with other organizations quit their efforts to eradicate Polio it will come back, “it will bounce back and in a matter of a decade or two we will back to having people having Polio just as often as they did back then.”

Once Polio is fully eradicated, more public health resources will become available to fight diseases like Malaria, HIV/AIDS and Cancer.

If you wish to donate do so by visiting www.endpolio.org/donate or polioeradication.org.