As a child, I received the polio vaccine on a lump of sugar. It would be almost fifty years later before the realization would set in that I was one of the lucky ones! I would not get polio because I received the vaccine!
A personal journey led me to India for the first time in 2001. During that journey polio raised its ugly head and made me see it was alive and well in the world! I made a vow to help end polio and take Rotarians to India to see the work going on there.
India calls you like no other place on Earth! In spite of the overwhelming population and their extreme poverty, the people are happy with what they have and appreciative of everything that is done for them! Parents that exist on $2.00 a day, bend to touch your feet to show their gratitude because a Global Grant had helped with a heart surgery and saved their child's life. Girls continue in school after puberty because toilets were installed and now they have a place of privacy to use the toilet! A village has clean drinking water because a new well has been dug and a sanitation system has been installed! Another Happy School with e-learning and a library has been built!
And YES, polio has even been eradicated in India for six years and it is because of ROTARIANS!
It is my honor to lead a National Immunization Day for the ninth time to India! Nineteen Dedicated Rotarians from 13 states and 3 Zones will meet me on January 19th as we begin our time together visiting WHO, Polio Plus, UNICEF, and the Rotary Foundation Southeast Asia Office and many sites around Delhi! Onwards to Saint Teresa's Mission of Charity in Kolkatta and Rotary Projects followed by home stays in the coal mining city of Dhanbad!
On January 29th, we will drop those two precious drops and dedicate them to those who were not as lucky as I. Those who suffer from Post Polio Syndrome!
This is reality in India! We will end it in the world and we won't stop until we do!
Took the train to Jamshedpur from Kolkata yesterday to visit a school project! My club and Jamshedpur West did a Rotary Foundation Global Grant for water well and sanitation project!
I couldn't keep up with this guy carrying my luggage!
Nancy Barbee
Keep on keeping on! You're special. Have safe journey
ReplyDeleteThanks, Ron. Viva La Rotary!
DeleteAwesome group of Rotarians. As a polio survivor and sufferer of Post-Polio Syndrome,THANK YOU.
ReplyDeleteDrops administered for you, as promised, on the trip, Sir. End of January. Look for the pix on the blog posts.
DeleteMay your travel and efforts return great accomplishments and blessing with continued eradication of polio. Have a safe trip.
ReplyDelete