Holly
Holly had polio in 1942; here’s what she wants you to know.
Richard
Richard was 13 years old when he got polio the summer before eighth grade. After a day of headaches, he woke up with a neck and back so painful and stiff that he couldn’t get out of bed despite the beautiful summer weather.
That day was the beginning of a long journey for Richard. Polio meant the teenager underwent a tracheotomy with only a local anesthetic, spent months in an iron lung, and endured years of intensive physical therapy. Through it all, he maintained his positive outlook and determination to return home to live a long, full life.
Richard shared an excerpt of his memoir, Not Just Polio, with Vaccinate Your Family. Please take a moment to read his incredible story of perseverance.
>> Read the excerpt from Not Just Polio
You can purchase his book on Amazon.
Judith
Judith’s story, as told by Judith Shaw Beatty.
Courtesy of ShotbyShot.org
In 1949, the year I was hit by the poliovirus, 42,000 cases of polio were reported in the United States and 2,720 people died, most of them children. I was diagnosed with paralytic poliomyelitis, which is experienced in less than 1 percent of poliovirus infections. Not only did it immobilize me completely from the neck down, it also attacked my lungs. It was August, a popular month for polio, and I was six years old.