Tim Mulcrone: Eradicating PolioThis is the eighth year for Tim, who started the Chanhassen Rotary Club, serving as the District 5950 Polio chair. Tim provided some facts about Rotary’s outstanding work to eliminate this terrible disease from the face of the earth. Prior to 1953 when Jonas Salk developed the first vaccination against polio, August was a time of the year when the disease spread quickly. Children were often sent to live with relatives on farms and in places where the disease had not yet been detected. Since that time, Rotary has played a central role in working to eradicate polio, garnering the support of wealthy donors like Bill Gates and Michael Bloomberg, to reach every corner of the world. In 2018, there were just 33 reported cases of polio in 2 countries. Why does Rotary care about these few cases of polio that occurred in the Middle East? Because the disease is just a plane ride away from spreading to other countries and regions of the world, including the U.S. As Tim explained, if we don’t fight it, we are all at risk. Tim went on to debunk some myths held about polio vaccinations, emphasizing the safety and efficacy of the vaccine. Apathy is one of our greatest enemies in the battle against polio. |