Stephen Argentati
Rotary member Jim Lamb gave an informative lesson on Polio during a recent Rotary Club of SaddleBrooke meeting and shared his personal experiences with the disease.
Since the disease has been eradicated in the US, most people forget how the poliovirus is crippling and potentially fatal by attacking the brain and spinal cord. Thankfully, vaccines were developed that the world has used to nearly eliminate the disease. However, there are three countries left that have recorded cases of polio and until the disease has been completely eradicated, there will be the risk that it will continue to spread.
Rotary has been a driving force in the battle to end polio and has helped immunize more than 2.5 billion children against polio in 122 countries. These efforts have reduced polio cases by 99.9 percent worldwide, and Rotary will not stop until the disease is gone for good.
The Rotary Club of SaddleBrooke raises money to donate towards ending polio by participating in the annual Rotary District 5500 “Ride to End Polio.” This year it will take place during the El Tour De Tucson on Saturday, November 17. Tucson’s Ride to End Polio has raised over $47 million since it was started in 2009 and registration for the 2018 event is now open. If you would like to participate and support a very worthy cause, please visit http://ridetoendpolio.org/, or make a direct donation at https://www.endpolio.org/.