DON'T FORGET that Rotary will be at the Washington Fire Station at 215 E. Washington St. this Thursday, October 30! Don't be late. Be a little early if you can and grab a box lunch.
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| Brian Greiner & Gene Driscoll |
Rotary Hears about Polio first-hand
Rotarian John Thorne told the club about his experience of getting polio in the summer of 1952 in 4th grade. He spent a few weeks in the Fort Dodge hospital with a mild case, just flu-like symptoms. There was a whole ward of polio kids, including one in an iron lung. He remembered being quarantined essentially, and visitors (like his parents) had to wear protective clothing and talk through the door.
John said the spinal tap was one of the more unpleasant tests they made him suffer through.
He was lucky. He got better and got to go home and hasn't suffered any particular ill effects since then. He got a PhD and learned to play the piano.
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| Rotarian John Thorne |
Millie Youngquist was 2 years old when she contracted Polio in 1954. Her parents thought something was wrong when she had trouble walking. They took her to the University of Iowa clinic where they helped her with some gentle exercises (she was 2...) and massage.
Millie had a light case (like John Thorne) and within 6 weeks she was walking again. One result she has is that her right calf is smaller than her left, and her right leg is a little shorter than her left. Like Thorne, Millie also plays the piano.
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| Millie Youngquist |
Terry Engelken reminded the club that Rotary International has been an instrumental player in helping to get the world 99%+ close to eradicating polio. Check the #ThisClose PSAs.
Polio survivors number 10-20 million, and are one of the biggest survivors group in the US. Post-Polio syndrome is a big factor for many of these people, when up to 35 years later, new polio-like symptoms arise and can be debilitating.
Polio cases dropped dramatically in 1962 in the US with the introduction of the Sabin vaccine.
October 24th was #WorldPolioDay. Click here to read how Rotary is leading the End Polio Now charge. Lots of good stuff that will make you proud to be a Rotarian.
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| Past Pres. Terry Engelken |
Past DG Don Patterson also told the club that he was part of a Rotary vaccination/immunization trip to Nigeria back in 2010. Polio immunization was part of that effort.
UPCOMING PROGRAMS
October 30: 7:00am Rotary Board Meeting @ WCHC
October 30: Meet at Washington Fire Station! 215 E. Washington St.
November 6: Some kind of program
November 13: Some kind of program
