How would you feel if you realised that you were ageing harder and faster than your peers, and your health practitioners couldn’t provide a satisfying explanation?

This is the situation in which many polio survivors can find themselves. Those who suffered from paralytic polio (less than 1% of polio infections resulted in some form of paralysis) might make the connection as it is relatively obvious. But, for every paralytic polio survivor there were 99 others who caught polio and only experienced flu-like symptoms ranging from mild to severe. These non-paralytic polio survivors can also experience the Late Effects of Polio, as nerves slightly damaged in the initial infection degenerate with age.

Unfortunately, some polio survivors are not aware that they experienced polio as a child because it was kept a secret, the symptoms were mistaken for the flu, or they were so young at the time they simply don’t remember being ill. Upon learning about the Late Effects of Polio and investigating their history, these polio survivors find an explanation for their condition and can learn techniques for managing their symptoms more effectively; they find support in the polio survivor community and can access free information for their health practitioners.

There is no cure for the Late Effects of Polio. It is a relentless, debilitating and chronic condition. Education can improve the mental health of polio survivors by providing hope and normalising their condition. It can empower them to advocate for themselves and take responsibility for managing their symptoms. Please help us to improve polio survivor quality of life.