Crocuses in Westbury

Polio, or poliomyelitis, is a paralyzing and potentially deadly infectious disease that most commonly affects children under the age of 5. The virus spreads from person to person, typically through contaminated water. It can then attack the nervous system.

Rotary has been working to eradicate polio for more than 30 years. Our goal of ridding the world of this disease is closer than ever.

As a founding partner of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, we've reduced polio cases by 99.9 percent since our first project to vaccinate children in the Philippines in 1979.

We've helped immunize more than 2.5 billion children in 122 countries. So far, Rotary has contributed more than $1.8 billion toward eradicating the disease worldwide.

Today, polio remains endemic only in Afghanistan, Nigeria, and Pakistan. But it’s crucial to continue working to keep other countries polio-free. If all eradication efforts stopped today, within 10 years, polio could paralyze as many as 200,000 children each year.  Polio in its viral form is now in existence in London reaffirming the fact that as long as one person has the virus it can rear up again with devastating consequences.

Westbury Rotary are taking an active part in this important campaign.  We are planting swathes of crocuses in areas of Westbury: Prospect Square, Bitham Park and All Saints Church blossom every spring with thousands of vibrant purple crocuses.