Raising awareness of Polio
Posted: 01.16.2011 at 11:43 AM

Call to make sure EVERYONE is vaccinated

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Jan Flood Nichols was in first grade when polio hit Moses DeWitt Elementary in Dewitt.  Within days, she was among 13 of 24 in her class affected by the virus that attacks nerves and can lead to paralysis:  3, including her twin brother, died.
Now, she's an advocate for vaccines, saying people in developed countries, like the United States, don't realize polio is still active in some parts of the world (including Europe, recently) and that with world travelers, the virus travels too.
The World Health Organization and the Polio Global Eradication Initiative say that if polio is not contained in the next couple years, by mid century 10-million children could be paralyzed by the preventable disease.
Nichols has written a book on the DeWitt outbreak, 'Twin Voices' and will be talking about her experiences and the continuing need for awareness and immunization,  at Syracuse's Onondaga Historical Association next Sunday, January 23 at 2pm. 
The talk is free.