Why is the Race being held in support of polio
eradication?
Polio has been one of the most terrible scourges
facing humans since the beginning of civilization over 5,000 years
ago. This evil virus attacks the most vulnerable of our population,
children under the age of 5 and leaves them dead or crippled.
This campaign to eradicate polio is the most important activity
of Rotary Clubs throughout the world and we must continue to support
the eradication program until polio is certified as being eradicated.
We are so close to the end, that special efforts are needed to
keep ourselves and our partners focused. This Race serves to raise
awareness and funds in support of the eradication of polio, and
will continue to be held every year, until polio eradication is
certified by the World Health Organization.
Where is the Race held?
The Race will be held on Sunday, June 10, 2007,
running through downtown Evanston, across Northwestern University's
campus, and along scenic Lake Michigan.
Click Here for Map
Why focus on polio? There are no more cases in
the United States and there are much worse diseases like HIV/AIDS,
Malaria, Tuberculosis and SARS
While these other diseases are more prevalent
and certainly have a greater impact on more lives than polio,
and receive more media attention, we are now very close to the
eradication of the polio virus. This will only be second disease
ever eradicated, smallpox being the first. Eradication is only
possible in a small number of diseases, and is the most cost effective
strategy of all. Once polio is eradicated, no child will ever
get the disease again. The world will save about $1.2 billion
a year by no longer having to immunize children against polio
and these funds can be used in other health programs. The United
States alone will save $230 million a year, and does not include
the costs of caring for crippled children.
We are so close to eradication, and that is why
we are no longer seeing any children affected by polio. There
were over 350,000 cases per year in 1988 when we started and last
year there were only 2,001 cases. As of 21 March 2007, only 61
cases have been reported. Only 4 countries are still reservoirs
of the virus: India, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. In 2002,
with our help, Rotary International organized a special fundraising
effort and raised over $135 million which will bring the total
of Rotary's contributions to over $600 million. This year, the
Polio Plus Partners program will focus on high risk countries,
social mobilization, and surveillance.
The real challenge that we face, is continuing
our efforts to keep the world focused on these last cases. This
is the most difficult and dangerous time. If we falter now, the
whole campaign is lost. We have to finish this. With no visible
cases, we still must remain vigilant and immunize our children
until the world is certified as being polio free. We are so close....we
must keep up our efforts! If we dilute our efforts now, we risk
losing everything. So that is why we should keep focused on the
eradication of polio. We are the conscience of the world when
it comes to polio eradication.
What are the funds used for?
Funds will be contributed to the PolioPlus Partners
Program of The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International and to
Rotary Club of Chicago - Financial District's Foundation supporting
local charities. The Rotary Foundation is a tax exempt public
charity and will apply 100% of all funds contributed to the polio
eradication program. These funds will be used to purchase social
mobilization items for National Immunization Days (NIDs) such
as hats and tshirts to identify volunteers, billboards, megaphones,
and radio and television ads to promote the NIDs, and vaccine
carriers to keep the polio vaccine at the proper temperature.
For more information on the global program to
eradicate polio please look at :
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