Even though Rotary's "End Polio Now" campaign has been in effect for decades, many newer Rotarians still don't know what it's all about; not only are they unsure of the project's origins, but they have no memory of just how serious polio was here in the United States -- and how much effort has been made to wipe it out worldwide.
Paul Stromborg says he and others of his generation still remember the fear which could be found in post-war America during the summertime; that was the time of year when polio was most prevalent, and parents had to take extreme measures to keep their children from contracting this paralyzing disease -- to the point of keeping them inside, or away from public pools, during the hottest days of the year.
At its zenith, thousands of children and adults were being infected by the polio virus; they ran the gamut from the youngest toddlers up to President Franklin Roosevelt, who was one of the strongest supporters of the March of Dimes -- which collected money for research and treatment.
Scientists were racing to find a vaccine, and competing efforts from Dr. Jonas Salk and Dr. Albert Sabin (apparently with no love lost between them) eventually saw Dr. Salk's approach receive public approval. The vote to approve his vaccine led to nationwide celebrations which rivaled the end of World War II; within months, thousands of children were immunized, and polio in the U.S. began to wane.
But this didn't extend to the rest of the world on any organized level until Rotary became involved; a single immunization project in the Philippines led to the establishment of End Polio Now, which has seen the disease eliminated in the Western Hemisphere. The effort continues in a few countries to reach all potential victims, with the hope of eventually eradicating the disease once and for all.