In June this year, the UK declared a “national incident” after the poliovirus was detected in the country for the first time since 1984. Infections caused by viruses cause fever, vomiting, and muscle stiffness.
Most people have no symptoms and don’t even know they are infected, but some cause temporary or permanent paralysis.The last case of polio in Ireland was also in 1984, There are now believed to be about 7,000 survivors in the country.
First published in 2007, Polio and Us: Personal Stories of Survivorsas a testament to those who survived the polio epidemic in Ireland, and in light of the recent pandemic and its aftermath, and to highlight the benefits of vaccination, the Irish Polio Survivors Committee has decided to republish this book. Decided.
Often forgotten, in this book polio survivors speak out and share how they overcame hardships and how they had to shape their lives around it. increase.
Bridie McMahon, 76, contracted polio in 1950, leaving her left arm completely paralyzed and her right arm debilitated. She was only four years old when she left Mayo’s home, and she moved between Capa Hospital in Finglas and St. Mary’s Hospital in Baldoyle (where she was treated). I had to spend 4 years. She was discharged shortly before her eighth birthday and told to wear her splint on her left arm daily.
Being away for so long, she did not recognize most of her family, but despite this difficult beginning she did not stop living a full and busy life. A mother and a career woman playing a role.
“Polio affected me over the years because I couldn’t attend physical education[at school]because I couldn’t raise my hands above my head,” she says. I knew I wanted to, but I couldn’t do it without the strength of my left arm, which influenced my career choices, but before I got married and moved to Bermuda (with her husband) in 1970, I worked in marketing and reservations, where I worked in hotel reception and reservations.
“After returning to Ireland, I had three children and attended Maynooth College as an adult student.I then trained as a community development worker, arts coordinator and external trainer in heritage studies at Maynooth. He later had a role, too, at Mayo Abbey.
“I have a problem with my right arm because I overwork it to compensate for the paralysis on my left side, but I can still type, write, and make tarts. I think.”
She says she has learned to live with the many side effects of being a polio survivor, but she has the energy and over the years has done many fundraising and volunteer work for the charity Polio Survivors Ireland. I have been active. she is grateful
“Things I didn’t miss. See what I did, where I went, and the people I met,” she says. “I have never complained about anything and have a very positive attitude. People didn’t know[about polio]so it wasn’t a label. and was able to hold hands (at school) in a set dance competition.
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Polio survivors Anne Barnes, Collette O’Reilly, Brigid Quigley O’Brien, Zainab Salman, Joseph Flynn and Edward Roycroft share their 29 personal stories with Irish polio survivors in latest edition of Polio & Us Drawn at the time of its release. An ongoing struggle with the long-term effects of illness.Photo: Andrés Pobeda
Colette O’Reilly is one of the 29 survivors in the book. She was just nine months old when he was diagnosed with polio, which affects both her legs and left arm. But she doesn’t feel she missed out because she didn’t know her life would be any other way.
In fact, she has been involved in as many things as possible growing up because she believes that having a disability should not define who you are or what you do. And over the years, her love of the sport has not only helped her gain and maintain her positive attitude, but she has also achieved great success.
“As a kid, you wouldn’t have known the difference[because she was always in a wheelchair],” she says. “I went to boarding school, lived on a farm, and joined IWA Sports at age 16. It was the best thing that ever happened because it made me who I am. Swimming , table tennis, javelin throwing, shooting, and basketball, but my coach at the time, Karl Gates, suggested I try a track chair, so I joined. From the beginning, I loved the freedom of sitting in a chair and jumping down hills.
“I started with local sports across the country, and after reaching a certain level, I moved on to international sports. To be selected, you have to reach a certain grade. There is a lot of training and self-discipline and you have to set goals for yourself.I had to eat and keep a diary.I also use a lot of affirmations and that I make it I kept telling myself I could do it. I had great mentors and great friends along the way, and they all said I could do it.
“I also volunteer with Polio Survivors Ireland. I was able to attend, meet new members, and the staff are very friendly. I think it’s important to keep in touch with fellow polio survivors because they might teach you something you didn’t know.”
The 54-year-old from Leitrim has worked as both a health instructor and a Montessori teacher for many years and has participated in 4 Paralympic Games, 4 World Championships and 3 European Championships. She has also participated in her 20+ marathons in wheelchair racing.
She refuses to let polio run her life, saying it can be difficult, but she is determined not to let polio overwhelm her. It makes you weaker, so it definitely affects you,” she says. “But I’m one of those people who try to turn that around by doing some light exercise. Because it’s important. You can’t train like you did in your 20s and 30s, but there are alternatives.
“And I never let my disability beat me. It made me who I am.”
While polio is nearly eradicated in the western world, the current situation in the UK is alarming. But Polio Survivors Ireland’s Emma Clarke Conway says vaccination is the best protection.
“If you and your child’s immunizations are up to date, there is little to worry about at this point,” she says. We are watching, and while the possibility of polio recurring is worrying and unlikely, there is no reason to assume that there will be an outbreak in Ireland as long as vaccination levels remain as high as possible.”
polio and usWritten by Nuala Harnett, is a testament to those who survived Ireland’s polio epidemic. This is a time-his capsule of 29 stories of Irish polio survivors and how they overcame the challenges of this indiscriminate disease. All proceeds go to services and support for polio survivors.
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Polio and Us: The Personal Stories of Ireland’s Polio Survivors
About polio
- Polio is caused by an infectious virus that multiplies in the intestine for 1 to 3 weeks before recovering or becoming severely ill.
- Although the infection rate is very high, the majority of patients either show no symptoms or appear to have a flu-like illness.
- It can be transmitted through poor hygiene and spread through the faeces and saliva of an infected person.
- Symptoms can be mild, but the first signs are usually fever, sore throat, headache, diarrhea, weakness, and difficulty breathing. In others, it can affect the nerves at the base of the spinal cord and brain, causing paralysis.
- There is no cure for polio or the neurological condition post-polio syndrome (PPS). Post-polio syndrome (PPS) can affect polio survivors 20 to 40 years after initial infection.
- You can minimize your risk by washing your hands thoroughly after going to the toilet and before eating or preparing food.
- The only way to stay safe is vaccination. So parents whose children are falling behind in their immunization schedule as a result of Covid should follow up with their GP to ensure all immunizations are up to date.
For more information or to purchase the book, please visit: polio Also amazon.co.jp
