October 24th - World Polio Day

Everyone knows Halloween is on the 31st of October but did you know there’s a day that’s just as important on the 24th? World Polio Day is a great opportunity to learn more about the fight against polio and maybe even get involved. So, before Halloween comes, keep reading and find out what you can do to help.

First things first, polio is a serious disease that is very contagious and in more serious cases can cause paralysis and death, mainly affecting young children. The good news is it is almost completely eradicated and if this is done it will be the second disease in the world to achieve this title. Thanks to all the support provided so far there are only two countries left that still suffer the effects of polio: Afghanistan and Pakistan. Therefore, this October is the perfect chance to make it known and if we all work together and continue to fundraise and raise awareness we could all help to rid the world of polio for good.

So what can you actually do to help? Well, the easiest thing to do is donate but if you want to be more hands on and go that extra mile social media is always a great way to get a message across and spread awareness about polio. You can even use the sample posts provided by Rotary if you’re not sure what to post and don’t forget to use the #EndPolio and #WorldPolioDay hashtags either. If you still feel like you want to do more though, which is always encouraged, then why not take matters into your own hands and start your own fundraiser? Create an event, with the help of the World Polio Day Toolkit provided by Rotary, and raise money for Rotary’s PolioPlus Fund - it’s a great way to get involved and have fun while doing it. Who knows, you may even want to join Rotary by the end of it!

This October 24th there are so many ways to support the cause, ranging from organised events to something as simple as an Instagram post. Every little bit helps and if we all work together, hopefully before we reach a new decade, we’ll be able to say that polio was a thing of the past.

You can donate here and also access the World Polio Day Toolkit:

https://www.endpolio.org/world-polio-day?gclid=CjwKCAjw8KmLBhB8EiwAQbqNoNk5YDR8zqfbjeopZ9nwkHVpn-m8WAt_cIds5ekf_3NEWwC6uEywtRoCYVcQAvD_BwE

If you want to read more about what polio is then you can follow this link:

https://www.cdc.gov/polio/what-is-polio/index.htm#:~:text=Polio%2C%20or%20poliomyelitis%2C%20is%20a,move%20parts%20of%20the%20body)