Physicians are now seeing an increasing number of polio survivors, who are currently experiencing new problems associated with the polio virus that was contracted forty to fifty years ago.
The polio virus destroys or damages the motor neurons that send the message to the muscles to move. At the onset of polio, the damaged motor neurons sent out new connections to compensate for the destroyed neurons. People naturally lose neurons with the normal aging process; however, for polio survivors the natural aging process is combined with years of overusing and over-compensating the already over-worked neurons. This increases the loss of neurons to a greater rate than normal. Many researchers believe that this is the cause of “The Late Effects of Polio.”
Unfortunately, Post-Polio Syndrome is not well understood by most health professionals. A medical examination is important to rule out other health conditions that may not be related to polio. It is likely that most polio survivors will experience at least one new symptom of Post-Polio Syndrome.
Polio – A class project at South University
John Swint, a student at South University contacted CEPSA to inform us that eight students, out of a class of about fifty, had chosen polio for their class project. All eight students attended an iron lung demonstration by Dan Shehan at the home of Tom and Eunice Newcomer, where CEPSA’s iron lung is being stored. Each student actually got in the iron lung to experience, first hand, how the iron lung works. A student made a video of one of the students inside the iron lung to be used as part of their polio presentation for the class on November 29, 2005. John asked if a few members of CEPSA could speak for their class that day about polio awareness. Sandra Bath and Diane Davis attended the class and each shared their polio story and spoke about the medical concerns of the late effects of polio, the global eradication project and the importance of American children receiving the polio vaccine. After the polio survivors spoke, the students showed the iron lung video and gave their extremely well researched power point presentation about polio.
CEPSA invited the students to join us at our January 2006 meeting as our special guest. Twelve South University students from the class attended the meeting. The video of Dan Shehan operating the iron lung with the student inside was shown at the meeting and many of the students shared how it felt to be in the iron lung both physically and emotionally. It was very encouraging for us to see these future medical professionals showing so much interest in polio, Post-Polio Syndrome and CEPSA.
We are recognizing the following South University students as “The Coastal Empire Polio Survivors Association, 2007 – Polio Awareness College Students of the Year” for their exceptional Multi – Media presentation and outstanding public service to CEPSA.
Jess Goodman, David Joslyn, Kelly Lindley, John Swint, Christie Rentz, Kelly McElreath, Joe Canestrari and Kim Harris