Acting President Jim Forestell opened the meeting tonight with the assistance of Dave Morris providing the first note for O Canada and Rotary Grace. The meeting was then handed over to Acting Sarge Lyle Miller to introduce our guests.

 

 

Dr. Maryanne Crockett (Polio Presentation), Margaret Hemphill, Lori Evans-Todd, District Governor Nominee Dan Sutton

 

 

Acting President Jim Forestell had a couple items to pass along from President Mandy:

1.         Received an email from Roh –

How have you been? How’s everyone at rotary? It’s hard to explain how much I miss being part of it. I thought I should send a quick update because it’s been a while. So here it goes: Soon after arriving here I went to a Rotary Club a couple of times. But it wasn’t quite working with a lot of other things happening at the same time. I was almost homeless for 3 days before an old friend came to my rescue. In terms of job search, it’s been an uphill battle, but I have a temporary job for now. I participated in a hackathon and had the opportunity to volunteer at the Elevate Tech Fest. It was a pretty neat experience. Other than that, I am still looking for an internship / full-time opportunity in the Capital Markets (Corporate / Investment Banking, Private Equity / Venture capital in particular).

Please say hi to others for me. Also, I’d be more than happy to grab a coffee / meal with Rotarians passing through Toronto. Take care… Regards…Roh.

2.         Board Meeting scheduled for Monday, November 4th prior to regular dinner meeting. Any club member is welcome to attend any of these meetings.

3.         Christmas Dinner booked for December 16th at Breezy Bend. Tickets are $30/pp and will be available next week from Paul or Catherine. The fellowship time appetizers will be sponsored by Dave Morris and John Inglis. The club will be collecting socks as well as food for Westgrove School breakfast program.

4.         Rotary Club of Winnipeg West is having ‘An evening of shared friendship, networking & stories at Little Brown Jug. This is a ‘Come & Go’ format – Bring a Friend….Evening of Thursday, October 24th, 2019 from 5 pm – 7 pm. @ Little Brown Jug – 336 William Ave. Cost – A positive attitude & open to meeting new people. Light Refreshments will be available.

 

Acting President Jim Forestell advised that he will deposit two cheques tomorrow. The first is $5000.00 from The Assiniboia Chamber of Commerce (golf tournament). The second is $500.00 from Khartum  Shriners in appreciation of our club members volunteering to help with their lobster dinner.

 

Jim also reminded members that the deadline for submitting applications for a Paul Harris Fellowship is fast approaching, October 31, 2019. He has the required forms to apply if you have an individual in mind that you feel is deserving of being considered for this honour.

 

Jim mentioned that we must have all seen the email sent out regarding the grant certification webinar to be held. Two lub members must be certified each year for a club to be able to apply for and receive grant monies from R.I. Please advise a club board member if you are interested in participating in the webinar.

 

Gord Zacharias advised that the October 28, 2019 meeting is a tour of the Manitoba Hydro Museum – Accessible. Location is 680 Harrow Street, Winnipeg. This is just off Taylor Ave, near Pembina. Please meet at 5:30pm with the tour starting at 6:00pm. There will be pizza and refreshments served.

 

Acting President Jim advised that the Rotary Club of Winnipeg – Assiniboine, will have Tessa Blaikie Whitecloud, CEO of 1 Just City, speaking on Thursday, November 14th, 2019,  about her organization and the work they do in the inner city. Their objective is to provide support to inner city organizations through 40 different programs including St. Matthews Maryland Community Ministry, Oak Table Inc. and West Broadway Community Services as well as running their overnight warming centre – Just a Warm Sleep – from January thru March. If you are interested in attending this meeting, please contact the Assiniboine Club a few days before Nov. 14^th so that the hotel can accommodate the correct number of those attending / meals.

The Rotary Club of Charleswood will not have a meeting that week due to Monday Nov. 11^th  being a holiday – no meeting.

 

Scribe Note – Correction: Past D.G. Elaine Thompson recently reviewed a number of club bulletins and noticed an error on my behalf. In the minutes from our July 8th, 2019 meeting I mistakenly wrote that ‘D.G. Elaine Thompson had a favorite memory of a meeting at Wascana, Saskatchewan’. The meeting she was referring to was at the ‘Rotary Club of Saskatoon Nutana’. I apologize for any confusion this error may have caused. I blame the error on my deaf left ear and noise in the room! I continue to complete this task with the understanding that errors and omissions will occur. DGM

Our guest speaker tonight was introduced by Nancy Morris. A very timely presentation as Thursday, October 24^th is World Polio Day. We are very fortunate to have her come out and make a presentation tonight. Dr. Crockett is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Child Health, Medical Microbiology and Community Health Sciences and Section Head for Pediatric Infectious Diseases at the University of Manitoba. Although she grew up in rural Nova Scotia, she has traveled extensively during her studies and subsequent work completing her BA (Psychology) and MD at Queen’s University and her Pediatric Residency at Dalhousie University followed by a Master of Public Health in International Health at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. Dr. Crockett completed a Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene at the Gorgas Course in Peru during her clinical fellowship in Pediatric Infectious Diseases at SickKids Hospital followed by a malaria immunology fellowship in Toronto. She moved to Winnipeg from Kenya in 2007 and now combines her clinical pediatric infectious diseases focus in Manitoba with her work on global maternal, newborn and child health projects in India, Kenya and Pakistan as the child health lead at the University of Manitoba’s Centre for Global Public Health. Last year, Dr. Crockett was included on the inaugural list of Canadian Women in Global Health.

 

Dr. Crockett opened her presentation with a comment on the U.N. Convention On The Rights Of The Child

 

Article 24: Children have the right to good quality health care, clean water, nutritious food and a clean environment so that they will stay healthy. Richer countries should help poorer countries achieve this.

 

Of note is that the United States is the only U.N. member country that has not signed on to the Convention.

 

When one looks at child mortality under 5 years of age, polio is not near the top. Polio does not often kill its victims. They tend to develop mobility issues which can have massive impacts on their lives, especially if the child does not have access to physical aids to assist with walking.

 

The polio virus is identified as an Enterovirus. There are 3 serotypes (1, 2, 3). The virus has no envelop, these types of viruses tend to be very sturdy and can be around in the water and sewers for a very long time. The virus will survive for 3 - 6 weeks in feces as well as 1 - 2 weeks in respiratory secretions. Humans are the polio viruses only reservoir. The incubation period for the non-paralytic polio type is 3 – 6 days. The patient feels unwell as if they have the flu. The paralytic polio type has an incubation period of 7 – 21 days. The patient will present with a history of feeling ill then getting better followed by a sudden worsening and numbness developing.

 

Type 2 Wild Polio Virus has been eradicated. [VAPP is the only type of Polio Type 2 seen]. Vaccine-associated paralytic poliomyelitis (VAPP) is an adverse event following exposure to Oral Polio Vaccine [OPV]. OPV is made with live attenuated (weakened) polioviruses that can result in a case of VAPP. ... There is very little evidence that the vaccine virus circulates from VAPP cases, and there are no outbreaks associated with VAPP.

 

Type 3 Polio Virus has not been seen since 2012 (likely eradicated).

 

Type 1 Wild Polio Virus is the only virus seen circulating.  Also, vaccine-derived poliovirus (VDPV) is a strain of the weakened poliovirus that was initially included in oral polio vaccine (OPV) and that has changed over time and behaves more like the wild or naturally occurring virus (cVDPV – circulating vaccine-derived polioviruses). This cVDPV gets into the water and sewers and causes exposure.

 

When exposed to the live vaccine there are a few outcomes possible:

Post Polio Syndrome (25% - 40%). This is non-infectious. Patients have worsening weakness and pain.

 

Polio in Canada:

Canada was certified polio free in 1994.

 

Dr. Crockett worked in India – Uttar Pradesh, population 232 million in 2019. Until 2009 India had 68% of the global cases of polio. India has a total population of 1.2 billion people. Due to a massive coordinated effort, in 2014 India was declared polio free. This was possible due to the following 5 prong attack strategy.

 

 

There has been a growing effort to supply fresh clean water to all villages in India. Sanitation is of great importance as well.

 

Challenges remain in 3 Countries. Nigeria, Pakistan & Afghanistan (WPV1 cases in 2017 – 2018).

 

There has also been a new outbreak in Philippines. One 3-year-old girl as well as virus found in the sewers of Manila.

 

Vaccine hesitancy is also an issue for some parents. You need everyone to be vaccinated to protect those that can not be vaccinated due to true medical issues.

 

Equity; a chart was shown indicating that if you are rich, you are much more likely to be vaccinated. (Bhutta et al – Countdown 2015 / Lancet 2010).

 

Sustainable development goals:  (17 of them now)

No poverty, zero hunger, good health & well being, quality education, gender equality, clean water & sanitation, affordable & clean energy, decent work & economic growth, industry, innovation & infrastructure, reduced inequalities, sustainable cities & communities, responsible consumption & production, climate action, life below water, life on land, peace, justice & strong institutions, partnerships for the goals.

 https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/blog/tag/global-polio-eradication-initiative/

 

Check out these online publications for current polio information:

www.globalhealthnow.org

 

 

1.- Janet Spence, any thoughts or actions to convert anti-vaxxers?

A.- Tricky situation. They have not necessarily seen vaccines prevent diseases. Tend to not engage in that conversation at the initial visit, enough stress with a sick child already. A longer-term relationship can work for some people to begin to come around to understand the importance of vaccination.

 

2.-Nancy Morris. These anti-vaxxers were most likely vaccinated by their parents and have not seen the terrible diseases caused by these viruses.

A.- They don’t understand “herd immunity’. Vaccinating a 95% of a given population so that almost all in that population are protected.

 

3.- Darvin Jasper advised that his oldest brother had polio as a child in the 1940’s. His feet and legs were involved. Any idea as to the virus type?

A.- no way to tell the type just by the physical symptoms. All types can cause the same illness. The ‘Iron Lung’ was needed when the muscles of the diaphragm and intercostals (group of muscles running between the ribs) were involved.

 

4.- Dan Sutton wondered if the data presented regarding Nigeria was current?

A.- Yes, did up the presentation this morning. Info from ProMed….produces data weekly.

 

5.-Elaine Thompson wanted to confirm that the polio virus can be transmitted through saliva. She had an uncle that died in the 1950’s due to polio. Family did not get sick.

A.- Yes it is. Possible they did get sick, just not paralytic. Perhaps flu like symptoms, or not sick/ exposed at all.

 

6.- Glenn Campbell asked why the oral vaccine is used in poor countries.

A.- Can result in broader coverage, no needles required. When polio is eliminated in a country, they switch to the killed virus vaccine injection (Salk). This helps to decrease the vaccine derived outbreaks.

 

7.- Iain Scott advised that he remembers getting the sugar cube polio vaccine.

A.- Live virus vaccine droplet (Sabin) was placed on the sugar cube.

 

Acting President Jim Forestell thanked Dr. Maryanne Crockett for her presentation. Jim remembers back when he was a child, a young girl next door taken away in the middle of the night due to polio, never seeing her again. Jim was terrified of polio as a child and rightfully so!

 

 

John Frederick Daniell: “Daniell Cell” information provided by Iain Scott

Iain Scott provided the following information about Caroline’s great-great-great grandfather John Frederick Daniell at my request (DGM). Caroline’s father passed away last year and while cleaning out his study, the family found Daniell’s bust and his medals that he was awarded. These had been passed down through the years. Caroline’s sister Catherine carried out research to discover the link to King’s College London. He was the first Professor of Chemistry at King’s and a close friend of famous scientist, Micheal Faraday. The decision by the four sisters to offer these artifacts was easily the right decision. When King’s responded to her email, they confirmed it was the right decision as they have an annual lecture in Daniell’s name each year and would very much like the family to attend the handover and reception. The bust and medals are now with King’s College for future generations of scientists. The Head of Chemistry mentioned he would like the medals to be in a prominent place to give the students a measure of the University’s expectation of success.

 

 

Elaine Thompson has a birthday approaching so we celebrated tonight. Happy Birthday being sung was requested.

 

Chuck Crocker celebrated his 44^th wedding anniversary one week ago.

 

 

Acting Sarge Lyle miller asked Dr. Maryanne Crockett to pull the ticket for the draw tonight. # 127 was the stub to match. Lorraine Forestell held the match. She instantly won a ‘mug’ for the match. Now the marble…. Lorraine’s attempt at finding the elusive blue marble fell short this evening. More in the Pot for the next 50/50.