A Letter From Mia Farrow provided Harold R.
February 10, 2007
 
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Note from UNICEF webpage: "Mia Farrow, who had polio as a child, gave one of the summit’s opening speeches. Her 12-year-old adopted son Thaddeus, who contracted the disease while living in an orphanage in India, also took part by setting in motion the countdown clock that tracks the remaining time to a polio-free world. Farrow has done much to draw attention to efforts to eradicate the disease since her appointment."
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Dear Friend:
The past several years have been very important years for polio survivors:
2002 was the 50th anniversary in North America and 55th anniversary in the UK of their most devastating polio epidemics affecting more than 65,000 people. There were many special initiatives recognizing these anniversaries:
• State legislatures and governors across the US officially declared 2002 "THE YEAR OF THE POLIO SURVIVOR" and September 2002 as "POLIO SURVIVORS MONTH" to educate polio survivors and the public about PPS;
• VOICE OF AMERICA RADIO broadcast a program about The Post-Polio Institute and Post-Polio Sequelae across the globe not only in English, but also in Afghan, Amharic, Bangla, Croatian, Hindi, Oromo, Pashtu and Russian.
• The International Post-Polio Task Force presented the first DAVID BODIAN MEMORIAL AWARDS to "Unsung Heroes" of PPS throughout the world, including Senator Bill Bradley, actor David Morse, Congressman Steve Rothman, Thaddeus and myself;
• CBS aired A PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT on Post-Polio Sequelae by David Morse, star of the CBS series "Hack." More than 65 MILLION AMERICANS have seen the PPS PSA;
• Our POST-POLIO LETTER appeared in magazines, newspapers and on web sites throughout the world, REACHING MORE THAN 500,000 polio survivors, their doctors and family members.
In 2003 more was done to help polio survivors:
• On July 2, 2003, a SPECIAL SOCIAL SECURITY RULING about PPS was released in the US. Local SSA officials and judges are being educated about the Ruling to stop inappropriate denials of Social Security disability benefits (Go to: http://www.postpolioinfo.com/postpolio/SSDI_new.htm);
• In 2003 MAUREEN McGOVERN RELEASED a SPECIAL MP3 RELAXATION RECORDING to help polio survivors to relax and be able to take their two, daily fifteen-minute breaks. The MP3 recording, downloaded directly to your computer, features a version her new song "I'll Never Know," written specially for polio survivors, and Dr. Richard Bruno's relaxation exercise, "The Two Breath Time Out," from his e-book How to Stop Being Vampire Bait (Go to: http://www.maureenmcgovern.com/polio/polio.htm);
• On November 14, 2003, Dr. Bruno presented the 2003 "David Bodian Memorial Award" to NBC Universal president Jeff Zucker on NBC's "Today Show" in recognition of NBC's educating America about polio and Post-Polio Sequelae. Senator Arlen Specter and Maureen McGovern were also given Bodian Awards for their work on behalf of polio survivors.
2004 was also important:
• Proclamations in Arizona, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, New Jersey, New Mexico, North and South Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah, Wisconsin declared 2004 as "THE YEAR OF POLIO AWARENESS." Of the nearly 2 million North American polio survivors -- and the 20 million throughout the world -- about 70% who had paralytic polio and 40% who had "non-paralytic" polio are experiencing PPS. In spite of the first case of PPS being diagnosed in 131 years ago, many polio survivors -- and most health care professionals -- do not know that PPS exist. Our goal is a NATIONAL "Year of Polio Awareness."
• THROUGH 2004 the NBC SERIES "AMERICAN DREAMS" featured a story about nine year old polio survivor Will Pryor undergoing surgery to "cure" his polio by allowing him to get rid of his long leg brace.
2006 and 2007 are equally important to polio survivors as "The Year of Polio Awareness:"
• The NBC television network is airing a POST-POLIO SEQUELAE PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT;
• The US Senate passed a resolution proclaiming 2006 as the "Year of Polio Education."
• September 2006 was "National Polio Vaccination Month."
• On September 19th 2006 our goal was realized when the US House of Representatives passed a resolution proclaiming 2006-2007 as "The Year of Polio Awareness."
• The National Post-Polio Awareness Campaign was be launched, its goal to place Post-Polio Sequelae information in the hands of every polio survivor and health care professional.
Please go to: http://www.postpolioinfo.com/PostPolio for a print-ready PDF version of the POST-POLIO LETTER that you can take to your doctor..
With your help every polio survivor and doctor will learn about PPS, polio survivors will get the care we so desperately need, and the International Post-Polio Task Force motto will become a reality:
"Every child vaccinated. Every polio survivor -- and doctor -- educated."
Please contact Dr. Bruno at The International Centre for Post-Polio Education
and Research for more information: 201-894-3724.
Thank you!
Mia Farrow, polio survivor
Thaddeus Farrow, polio survivor
Co-Chairs, THE POST-POLIO LETTER Campaign
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