The world unites to mark World Polio Day on Friday 24 October — a day dedicated to raising awareness and funds to finally eradicate this devastating disease. The Rotary Club of Blouberg will be doing their part locally with a special awareness event at Bayside Shopping Centre on Friday 24 and Saturday 25 October from 10:00 to 16:00.
The club will feature a life-size wooden replica of an “Iron Lung”, the machine that once kept thousands of polio patients alive by helping them breathe when the virus paralysed their muscles. The public is invited to spend a few minutes inside the Iron Lung to experience what polio survivors endured — and to make a small donation towards Rotary’s global eradication campaign.
“It’s an emotional and eye-opening experience,” says Helène Visser from the Rotary Club of Blouberg. “Many people don’t realise how terrifying polio once was — and that, even today, it still affects children in parts of the world like Pakistan and Afghanistan. By taking a few minutes to lie in the lung, we’re helping people understand just how important vaccination and awareness remain.”
More about polio
Polio has been eradicated in most countries, including South Africa, but Rotary International, together with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Unicef, continues to raise funds to eliminate the disease completely. Rotary’s End Polio Now campaign, launched in 1988, has reduced global polio cases by more than 99%, with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation matching every $1 raised with $2.
This year, Blouberg Rotary has already contributed R5 000 towards the cause and has challenged other clubs in the district to match or exceed their donation.
“There’s no cure for polio once it strikes — but it’s 100% preventable through vaccination,” adds Visser. “We urge every parent to ensure their children receive the polio vaccine and invite our community to help us make a difference. Every rand counts toward a world free of polio.”
Several community leaders and invited guests, including Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis, councillor Jonathan Mills, Artscape CEO and polio survivor Marlene le Roux, and Professors from Tygerberg Children’s Hospital, will be attending the event to show their support.
The public is encouraged to visit the Rotary stand at Bayside, experience the Iron Lung, and contribute to this life-changing cause.
