We often think of Polio affecting only countries like Afghanistan or Pakistan where wild poliovirus cases still persist, but I wanted to highlight the story of an American.
In 1953, five-year old Martha Lillard contracted polio - that was two years before Jonas Salk’s vaccine. Her lungs were soon paralyzed and she began using an iron lung which she used every day until she died. Martha died last month. For over 70 years, she climbed into that iron lung every single night. Her life is a reminder that Polio isn't just a history lesson or an issue in some far away land. And that our financial support and immunization work as Rotarians is still important, to help prevent anyone else from experiencing what Martha did.
Click to learn more about Martha, The Last Iron Lung User.