It sure was an interesting time from our last newsletter. The 40th Anniversary of the
introduction of the Salk polio vaccine came and as expected there was a show. Dr. Jonas
Salk returned to University of Michigan and was honored for his triumph over the dreaded
disease of Polio. It was there on April 12, 1955 that Dr. Salk announced that the two year
trial of the vaccine that used killed viruses to stimulate the bodies immune system had
proven safe and effective.
Our Congress of course did what we all expected and presented Dr. Salk with a gold
medal for “great achievement in the field of medicine.” This, needless to say, I am sure is
approved by everyone.
The Associated Press in their report stated that the University of Michigan and the
March of Dimes paid the $1.7 million dollars to the cost of the polio research. And, the
March of Dimes announced that it was creating an annual $100,000 prize to be presented
in Salk’s name to an investigator who makes major advances in developmental biology.
Anyway, what seems to be the bottom line is that the March of Dimes is now taking
credit for having paid the money to solve the Polio problem. I wonder why the March of
Dimes is making that reference to money at this time. Maybe, the March of Dimes is
looking to be reimbursed. Should our country now all get together and pay them back that
money which they seem to imply was theirs.
It is like an Uncle at a 40th Anniversary of his niece's wedding stating he paid for the
wedding affair. Does that Uncle really believe that the wedding would not have taken place
without him? Who cares? Is that the most important item? And, in this case the March of
Dimes used the money they collected from you and me for that purpose. It was not their
money and in fact they received, I am sure a very decent salary for their work in processing
the funds. They were not volunteers!!!
The real hero in this case is Franklin Delano Roosevelt who established and put his full
weight as President behind the Polio program and those volunteers who were and still are
the backbone behind the March of Dimes and all other not-for-profit organizations.
Yet, when it comes to helping the present day victims of Polio nothing seems to be
mentioned. It would have been nice if the March of Dimes said that the $100,000 that they
would be awarding yearly would go to help present day sufferers of polio or go to a
research grant to help solve the polio syndrome problem but that does not seem to be their
game plan. The March of Dimes simply used this Polio event for their own agenda.
Nothing else.
Along the above lines we received a letter from a post-polio support group which stated
“ours is a good relationship with the March of Dimes.” The PPSG stated they “helped
with March of Dimes Walk” and received a “small grant” and other help. Finally, the
PPSG states, “There still needs to be changes in the ‘head office’, but we are very
encouraged over what has happened in our area this past year.”
Somehow, I don’t see how they are encouraged. Our Post-polio problem has been
known to the March of Dimes for over 10 years. It seems to me that that PPSG is being
used and does not even know it.
We would like to receive your comments, be they pro or con. Just what do you feel,
let us know. It’s your body and your life. To be continued.......