Greetings from PHI
We hope everyone is staying healthy in the new year. PHI would like to especially thank all of our members who contributed to PHI's mission last year by renewing your membership or participating in one of our fundraising campaigns. We couldn't do what we do without your support!
Next month's issue of Post-Polio Health, PHI's quarterly newsletter, will feature some updated Covid information from Marny Eulberg, MD. PHI encourages our members to protect themselves from the worst effects of the disease by following the current CDC recommendations regarding vaccination.
Did you miss the last newsletter or prefer to read it online? A electronic version of the Fall issue can be found under the Resources tab or at https://post-polio.org/education/post-polio-health-newsletter/. You can also find a link on that page to all previous articles from the newsletter.
Need Help Purchasing a Brace or Shoes?
Did you know? PHI has a special fund to assist with the purchase of a brace or custom-made shoes. The Joyce and Arthur Siegfried Memorial Fund provides grants of up to $800 to assist polio survivors with out-of-pocket costs.
The fund was established in 2012 through an initial gift of $7,500 from the Polio Network of New Jersey (PNNJ) in honor of Joyce and Arthur Siegfried, early advocates for the needs of polio survivors. Joyce Siegfried helped organize the first New Jersey Conference on the Late Effects of Polio in 1990, which led to the creation of the Polio Network of New Jersey in 1991.
Sadly, PNNJ recently decided to cease operations. Their legacy will live on, however, thanks to a sizable new grant to the Siegfried Memorial Fund. PHI would like to thank their president, Lottie Esteban, and the rest of the network for so generously providing for the needs of polio survivors wherever they may reside. You can learn more about the fund and download an application here.
Other PHI Resources
By the mid-2000s, PHI started receiving more and more calls and emails from family members and friends of polio survivors. Their remarks usually expressed a mix of concern, anguish, confusion and guilt. They were afraid of what might happen to their loved ones but lacked a good understanding of the late effects of polio.
Recognizing the problem, PHI received funding from The Phyllis and Max Reynolds Foundation Inc. and The Chervenak-Nunnallé Foundation to develop answers to assure aging polio survivors receive appropriate medical treatment and care.
A panel of experts with experience in treating and educating the survivors of polio compiled facts and wisdom targeting family members and friends caring for relatives who had polio. Polio survivors and families suggested items to be included in the packet of information and reviewed it. The result was Post-Polio Health Care Considerations for Families and Friends.
If you have loved ones in your life who you'd like to educate about the late effects of polio (or if you just want to brush up on the basics yourself), we recommend sharing this wonderful online resource and accompanying booklet.
Looking for additional resources? Check out the new "Resources" tab in the menu.
New Books
Thank God I Got Polio: A Life of Adventure and the Adventure of Life, Wayne Raffesberger. This memoir follows Raffesberger from his bed at the year-old Children’s Hospital of San Diego (now Rady Children’s Hospital) to a boyhood marked by his struggles to walk again and fueled by the freedom he finds in swimming lessons with Dennis Hopper’s mom, bike riding and academic achievements. Despite being told he may never walk again, a conscious decision is made to surmount his physical and emotional challenges by living a life of adventure.
The Moments Between Dreams, the debut novel by Judith Brenner, is about a 1940s housewife in Chicago who conforms to the rulebook of the times until her husband pushes her too far, and she must take action to save herself and her daughter. Carol finds a way out of dark circumstances, and she and her children learn to lean on their faith and each other, ultimately finding their happy ending. "I couldn’t stop thinking about this powerful, well-written novel which brought me back in time. Brenner’s vivid storytelling through realistic characters reveals how women faced gut-wrenching struggles head on," Sunny Roller, Member, PHI Board of Directors.
Power Chair Available
PHI has been contacted by an individual who is looking to donate their Hoveround MPV5 (pictured right) to a polio survivor in need. The chair includes battery, manual and is in good working condition. Chair must be picked up in person in the Bluffton, South Carolina area. Please contact PHI (314-534-0475, info@post-polio.org) if you are interested.
Small Ways to Give Back
AmazonSmile is a simple way for you to support your favorite charitable organization every time you shop, at no cost to you. Simply go to www.smile.amazon.com, log in, choose “Post-Polio Health International Inc” as your preferred charity, and shop as you normally would. When you shop at AmazonSmile, you’ll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added benefit that AmazonSmile will donate 0.5% of your eligible purchases to PHI. More details are available at http://smile.amazon.com/about/.
Give with Bing
Microsoft Rewards lets you support PHI through its Give with Bing program. After signing up and selecting our organization, you can earn rewards points just for searching the web with Bing. Microsoft then turns those points into cash donations to PHI.
The program is free--you just need to sign up with a Microsoft account. Join now.