WE’RE STILL HERE!

OUR EXPERIENCES, IN OUR OWN WORDS
The 2026 "We're Still Here!" Campaign

Each year, PHI’s “We’re Still Here!” campaign seeks to raise awareness of polio survivors, the late effects of polio, and the issues that continue to shape our lives. This year’s campaign will take place October 18–24, 2026, and will begin with a simple question:

As a polio survivor, what is one thing you wish more people understood about your life today?

The answers will form the heart of this year’s campaign, “We’re Still Here: What We’d Like You to Know.” Throughout the week, PHI will share members’ experiences in their own words, accompanied, when possible, by photographs or short videos offering a glimpse into their daily lives.

As polio survivors, we know that the challenges of daily life are not always immediately apparent to those around us. People may see you resting without understanding the fatigue that made it necessary. They may see a wheelchair, brace, ventilator, or other equipment without recognizing the independence it provides us with. They may not see the planning and effort required to attend an event, the difficulty of finding a knowledgeable healthcare provider, or the frustration of encountering an inaccessible medical office, business, or public space.

This year, PHI wants to provide you with an opportunity to make those experiences visible and explain them in ways others can understand.

Your contribution does not need to tell your entire life story. In fact, describing one ordinary activity – perhaps a task able-bodied individuals take for granted – can often be a better illustration of the challenges polio survivors face. You might show how you prepare for the day, conserve energy as you go about your day, adapt an activity, accomplish a challenging errand, use adaptive equipment, or manage your physical limitations. You might also choose to describe a positive experience with someone who listened and understood.

You may contribute in whatever format feels most comfortable:

• A few paragraphs about an experience
• A photograph with a short description
• A brief video

Submissions may be sent to info@post-polio.org. The deadline to submit an entry is Friday, October 16, 2026.

If you are not sure where to begin, consider completing one of these statements:

• “Something most people don’t understand about my daily life is…”
• “I wish healthcare providers understood…”
• “One thing that helps me remain independent is…”
• “An ordinary activity that requires extra planning is…”
• “Before making assumptions about my disability, I wish people would…”

During “We’re Still Here!” week, PHI will feature these contributions on our website, social media accounts, and email communications. We encourage our members to share them on their own social media accounts to help educate others about the challenges polio survivors face every day.

We will also select a grand prize winner ($100 USD) and four runners-up (free PHI Membership for one year) to be announced throughout the week. The winning entries will be featured online and published in the fall issue of Post-Polio Health.

We hope the campaign provides an opportunity to show the lived experiences of polio survivors honestly, in all their variety, and to help others understand the realities that too often go unnoticed. Polio survivors have spent decades adapting, advocating, and living full lives. This October, we want to bring those experiences together and make sure they are heard .

We’re Still Here! These are our lives today, in our own words.