Polio and Me - A Survivor's Tale.

On Thursday 18th July Rotarian Steve Ragnall, a member of Burnley and Pendleside club, spoke about his life living with Polio. Steve began by informing us that Polio, often known as Infantile Paralysis, was described in 1789 by a doctor named Under. The Polio virus is highly infectious and often caught by children. The virus attacks the nerves of the spinal chord causing muscle weaknes, limb paralysis, breathing difficulties.

Steve was infected with the virus at age four, experiencing shortage of breath and weakness on his right side. As he grew older he had to have a number of operations to his spine and was in and out of hospital for months on end. 
Apparently, he and his ward mates used to get up to all sorts of mischief, often using their "good" arms to wheel their beds outside or nipping across to the pub when he was older. 

Steve described the two vaccines developed in the 1940s and 50s - the Salk inactivated vaccine and the Sabin Oral Polio vaccine.

Steve praised the work of Rotary in establishing the Global Polio Eradication Initiative which continues to this day in conjunction with the Bill and Miranda Gates Foundation and coordinated by the World Health Organisation.

Steve closed his talk with the assertion that 'I am not a victim but a survivor'.

An exceptionally, interesting, lively talk, which was at times was quite overwhelming, and greatly appreciated by our members.