[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 113 (Tuesday, September 10, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1540]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   IN REMEMBRANCE OF POLIO SURVIVORS

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JOHN R. THUNE

                            of south dakota

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 10, 2002

  Mr. THUNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the many survivors 
of polio. Paralytic poliomyelitis, or polio as it is commonly referred 
to, often seems to be remembered as a disease of the past--a disease 
that afflicted millions of Americans during the Great Depression. 
Americans no longer experience the fear that seized our parents and 
grandparents during the summer months, when polio epidemics thrived. 
Polio hit quickly, no cure was available, and its victims were left 
crippled for life.
  For many years, controlling polio's transmission was vigorously 
debated. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, one of America's most famous 
polio survivors, declared war on polio with the creation of the 
National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, now known as the March of 
Dimes, in 1937. Through federal funding, researchers Joseph Salk and 
Albert Sabin developed two different polio vaccines in the 1950s. 
Shortly after, polio was eradicated in much of the industrialized 
world, providing a vast number of economic and social benefits.
  The World Health Organization has taken great strides to eliminate 
polio throughout the world, and polio now only exists in ten countries 
worldwide. However, as long as polio exists, no man, woman, or child is 
completely safe from the disease.
  September 2002 marks the 50th Anniversary of North America's most 
devastating polio epidemic. This epidemic touched the lives of nearly 
60,000 people, leaving many with lifelong physical disabilities.
  There are approximately 16,000,000 polio survivors in the United 
States today. Many of these survivors suffer from Post-Polio Sequelae, 
or PPS, symptoms, such as overwhelming fatigue, muscle and joint pain, 
sleeping disorders, and difficulty swallowing and breathing.
  Every American should be aware of this once devastating disease as 
well as the affects still felt by survivors of polio. While remembering 
these people, we will aim to educate both polio survivors and doctors 
about the symptoms of PPS. By raising awareness, we will be able to 
inform polio survivors on the simple and effective therapies available 
to treat PPS and to make their lives easier.
  Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I encourage all of my colleagues to join 
me in declaring September ``Polio Survivors' Month,'' and honoring 
these brave survivors of polio.

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