Rotarians strive to wipe out polio
By Sylvie Belmond belmond@theacorn.com

A group of nine Rotary ambassadors representing several local clubs traveled to India last month on a goodwill mission to support the organization's efforts to wipe out a crippling disease.

In 1985, Rotary International made it their mission to eradicate polio. Today, their PolioPlus program contributes to "a 99 percent reduction in the number of polio cases worldwide," according to the group.

Local clubs send representatives annually for a two-week visit to the faraway country to encourage fellow Rotarians who live overseas and to see how funds donated by the organization are used. "Millions of people are vaccinated every year," said Tom Lucas, owner of Performance Nursery in Moorpark.

Lucas said he volunteered to go to India because he felt it was his duty as a Rotarian to support the organization's efforts to get rid of polio.

The local business owner was impressed with the kindness the Indian people showed him and his group. Although their beliefs and political viewpoints might differ, the natives and the visitors had a great deal in common, he said.

"It was wonderful to see how there was no prejudice (toward) Americans over there," Lucas said. No matter where they are, he added, Rotarians share common goals and kinship.

"It's just amazing to me to see what takes place in India and it all works," he said.

Despite extreme poverty and crowded conditions, the people don't get out of control and they seem happy, said Lucas.

Ventura resident Larry Emrich and his 29-year-old son, Tristan, traveled to India with the local delegation.

"India is an incredible country of many contrasts," he said, expressing gratitude for the hospitality of fellow Rotarians. "They just couldn't believe that we had spent our own money to come to their country to help with the polio eradication efforts," he said.

The local representatives were honored wherever they went and their lives were enriched mostly by the humanitarian experience but also by the cultural treasures. Emrich was able to see the Taj Mahal, a place he's wanted to visit ever since he was a boy, he said.

Emrich, who contracted polio when he was a child, was particularly thrilled to have the opportunity to help inoculate children against the disease.

"They will not have to face a life being a crippled person, or have to live with some deformity or muscle fatigue or handicap," he said.

He described his own experience with the illness. One morning in 1949, when he was 4 years old, both he and his 5year-old brother awoke to find themselves unable to walk. Their older brother, who was 7, managed to walk but had pain in his muscles and joints like his brothers. Their parents, who knew what was happening, took the three boys to the hospital for treatment.

"There was a big polio epidemic at that time," said Emrich, who remained in the hospital and recovered within two weeks. His middle brother was hospitalized for six months and never regained regular use of his legs, Emrich said.

Although he himself lived a normal life for decades, the effects of the disease showed up when Emrich was in his mid40s. Because polio kills nerve endings, the muscle group affected when he was young had begun to die. Emrich said he now wears a leg brace for support.

While there were more than 1,000 new cases of polio reported every day in the world in 1988, in all of 2007 just over 1,000 cases of polio were reported worldwide.

"We are making incredible progress," said Emrich, now retired after a 34year career in education.