HomeMy WebLinkAboutLakeshore Advance, 2013-11-20, Page 2424 Lakeshore Advance • Wednesday, November 20, 2013
GOOD-BYE, POLIO: THANKS, ROTARY
Grand Bend Club helps turn each Community Donation Dollar into $6
The world is on the verge of eliminating one of the most dreaded diseases of the 20th century -- poliomyelitis. During the first half of the 20th
century, polio crippled over half a million people every year. Even today, children in some developing countries continue to fall victim to the disease.
But thanks in large part to Rotary International and to the 1.2 million Rotary members worldwide, the disease will soon be just a memory. In fact,
there were less than 250 cases worldwide in 2012!
Before celebrating this public health milestone, the spread of the polio virus must be interrupted in the poorest and most populous regions of the
world, and surveillance must con-
tinue for several years to be sure
the virus is completely wiped out.
This is no easy task. Only 3 coun-
tries have yet to stop the spread of
polio — Pakistan, Afghanistan and
Nigeria. (In 1988 there were 125
countries with polio)
To date, Rotary has contributed
more than US$1.2 billion to im-
munize more than 2.5 billion
children against polio. But much
more is needed. More than twenty
five years of steady progress is
at stake, and polio -- now on the
ropes -- stands to stage a danger-
ous comeback unless the funding
gap is bridged. Learn more ways to
help at: www.endpolio.org.
in addition to raising money for
polio eradication, Rotary members
offer their time and expertise in
the field to fight polio by provid-
ing support at clinics, transporting
vaccine, contributing medical sup-
plies, and mobilizing thcir com-
munities for immunization and other polio eradication activities. Gord Britton, a member of the Rotary Club of Grand Bend, is one of many Rotary
volunteers who travelled to India to help eradicate the disease. "it's difficult to imagine what polio does to children," he says. "'These children an'
poor and disadvantaged to start with, and polio robs them of any chance they might have for a decent life."
NIGERIA AFGHANISTAN
750 --
600
450 --
ISO -
o --
1905
1%
PAKISTAN
1.000 estimated casts per day in
1965, when Rotary launched the
global fight against polio
2 estimated cases
per day in 2011
2011
To reach the final 1% of
children is the most difficult
because polio still exists in
some of the most challenging
parts of Africa and South Asia.
5
3 countries have never
stopped polio.
The majority of children
that contract this
crippling disease are
under the age of 5.
The percent of people globally who
were surprised that polio still exists
and is a serious problem. according
to a recent Rotary survey.
99%
Polio is 99% of the way to being eradicated!
2.5 billion
children immunized globally by Rotary and
its partners since 1988—that is an average
of 3.3 children a second!
1.2 million
Rotary members worldwide are united in
the fight to end polio.
$0.60
60 cents (E0.46 as of Feb. 16, 2012) is the
cost of protecting one child from polio.
540-50 billion
The estimated amount of money polio
eradication will save the world over the
next 20 years.
After more than 25 years, Rotary and its partners are
'this close' to making history with the eradication of
polio. With this achievement, polio will only be the
second human disease in history—after smallpox—to
be eradicated worldwide.
Learn more about the fight and how you can help at www.endpolio.org.
The final push to a polio free world is an expensive proposition. The remaining polio endemic areas are hard to reach, war torn and
with an increasingly migrant population. The Grand Bend Club has raised over $40,00( for the effort
The Club has agreed to match all community donations to the project up to $5000.
'[his matched donation will be again matched 2 for 1 ley the Bill & Melinda
(rites Foundation to create a $6 donation for every $1 from the community.
Once eradicated, polio will join smallpox as one of only two diseases ever eliminated.
Please make your cheque payable to The Rotary Foundation (Canada) and send it to
The Rotary Club of Grand Bend Box 1261 or drop it off at Waypoint Financial 45 Ontario St.N. Grand Bend.
Tax receipts will be issued. For more information please contact Rotarian Brian Hall at 238-8892
www.grandbendrotary.com