2014-2024. Our Ten Years of Service
Working together to serve others as we advocate to rid the world of this terrible disease has truly inspired us.
By working together with generous professionals, we:
Published and shared 140 newsletters and 520 Bruno Bytes with survivors all over the world.
Partnered with Rotary Clubs and the Vaccine Education Center at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia to create and distribute more than 50,000 Vaccine Information Cards, that are now available in 12 different languages.
Worked with Seniors, Children, Rotary Clubs and Disabled Adults to pack and distribute 10,000+ Vaccine Information packets in six counties. Funding for the enormous amount of materials required for this work, came through the generosity of the PA Immunization Coalition and the PA Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Took the advice of a pediatrician, and actively engaged children and teenagers in our advocacy work. They write book reviews (in their own children’s special language) that we enclose with the books we donate. These reviews, written by Alexis, Avery, Ariana, Chloe and Colin always bring a smile to the recipient when we gift them to libraries, pre-schools and day care centers.
Welcomed five college students as “interns”. Adrian and Jaelin Crutchfield, Olivia Harrison, Claire Parker and Lauren Voltz write survivor stories, assisted seniors in putting together pediatric vaccine information packets and helped at legislative health fairs.
Attended and exhibited at every PA Immunization Conference since 2017.
Attended the NCICP (National Conference for Immunization Coalitions and Partnerships), where we were humbled to be asked to speak about our advocacy work in the Plain community.
Exhibit at 15+ Senior health fairs per year, the majority of which are sponsored by our State legislators.
Have honored the Rotary Foundation for their focus on Disease Prevention and Treatment and their raw determination to rid the world of this terrible disease. We traveled to Evanston, Ill and presented Rotary International with a Gift of Gratitude from polio survivors all over the world.
Have been asked to speak at Rotary Clubs everywhere, participated in many Rotary Polio Eradication fundraising events and through Team Survivor, have donated the funds to vaccinate an est. 125,000 children.
Hosted three conferences, assisted by Rotarians, that brought polio survivors together with outstanding professionals – Richard L. Bruno, PhD, William M. DeMayo, MD and Daniel J. Wilson, PhD.
Were honored to be present and asked to speak at press conferences by our State Legislators and Dept of Health, as they honored our advocacy to educate parents about the reality of polio and the importance of being vaccinated against crippling childhood diseases.
Wrote many articles that were published in newspapers and five different medical society magazines. . . .
Assisted five students with award winning National History Day entries.
Volunteered to serve as standardized patients for the Villanova College of Nursing – giving the students hands on learning while working with people with disabilities, as we educated them about the poliovirus.
Have spoken to high school and college students about the reality of the poliovirus.
Created posters and celebrated PPS support groups who took photos and honored Rotary International for their determination to eradicate polio.
Participated in two Rotary Leadership Public Health Summits. Held on World Polio Day, these events engaged 200+ high school students with the reality of the poliovirus and the damage that it can cause.
Took the advice of multiple professionals, and in 2016 launched an Anesthesia Warning Card that included a QR code allowing easy access to information. We took their advice once more and updated that card in 2023.
Were given permission and access by Executive Producer David Wasser to have his film “Polio Revisited”, in its entirety, on our website.
Published the Encyclopedia of Polio and PPS by Richard L. Bruno, PhD and house it on our website.
Published this new website, capable of Indexing more than 900 articles by multiple PPS knowledgeable professionals and professional organizations. The search options make finding information simple and effective.
Worked with the Philadelphia Inquirer for six weeks, while they researched PPS and our work. They published an extensive article and video in 2022.
Have joined other survivors and been honored to be asked by the Vaccine Education Center at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Vaccinate Your Family to put stories and interviews on their website(s).
Had the opportunity to support the New York Department of Health with their vaccination campaign after polio returned to the US in 2022.
Are grateful to be able to stay on our donation dependent status, as we share our monthly newsletters in both Regular and Large Print formats, to survivors all over the US and abroad, for no charge by email.
Click below for some photos of our ten years of activities:
We are thankful for the professionals who believe in our mission to serve polio survivors all over the world. We truly appreciate their generosity in giving us the ability to share their work.
John R. Bach, MD, Norma Braun, MD, Richard L. Bruno, HD, PhD, Selma H. Calmes, MD, Mark A. Lopatin, MD, William M. DeMayo, MD, Marny K. Eulberg, MD, William Montgomery, MFT, Paul A. Offit, MD, Carol Vandenakker-Albanese, MD, Daniel J. Wilson, PhD, Polio Australia, Post-Polio Health International and others listed here.