The Survivor Newsletter: Winter 1999

A Few Words From The Editor:

A very happy festive season to you all. I hope you like our ‘NEW LOOK’ newsletter. I felt that we needed a more professional presentation for our National Newsletter coming into the new millennium, and here it is! All constructive comments will be received graciously. Also, for the first time our Newsletter will be posted on the Internet, (http://homepage.eircom.net/~Post Polio Support Group/newsletter) and so will be available to a world-wide audience.

I am sure you were wondering where the Autumn Issue of the Newsletter went to. Well, it was decided that we would postpone it until now (mid-way between Autumn and Winter?) so that we could produce a special Millennium Edition, I hope you enjoy it.

There are lots of exciting things happening at the moment for the Post Polio Support Group. Details of our submission to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children have been circulated to all the Health Boards and as a result several Health Boards have contacted us. The object of keeping the health care professionals and the government aware of our needs is on-going, with extracts from this report being published in the Medical Weekly and the Irish Medical Times, as well as many regional newspapers.

The Disability Federation of Ireland has been hosting training days in each Health Board Area with the aim of developing a strong voice for small disability groups so that our needs will be heard on the Advisory Committees to the Health Boards. Our regional representatives have been busy attending meetings on your behalf, and keeping in touch with members in their areas.

Congratulations to Vera Roche and those who took part in the excellent RTE 1 Documentary "Would You Believe" on 2th November. Thank you also to those who attended seminars and meetings on behalf of the Post Polio Support Group, thank you too to those who sent me letters and articles, it is great to see such interest in the Newsletter.

Let us not forget that lovely idea of Mary Kavanagh’s to light a candle on New Year’s Eve and think of all Polio Survivors, and in her words ... "With the burning candles we can together help the psychological and physical hurts of the past to melt away and let the flickering light give each one of us the courage and hope to face the future into the new Millennium".

Paula Lahiff (Editor)

Greetings From The Chairperson:

The Millennium is nearly upon us and many people have made special plans for the occasion. Don’t forget a friend of neighbour who may be on his or her own. Give them a call and wish them well. Good health and happiness to all our members over the coming festivities.

As the millennium approaches, a new era dawns for our Group. Over the recent months, our membership has increased substantially and it is time to take stock. The committee has decided to commission the drawing up a "Strategic Plan" to cover the work and administration of our Group. This project is being carried out with the financial support and help of the Disability Federation of Ireland, to whom we are most grateful.

We are pleased to announce that Hugh Hamilton, a member of our Group who is retiring from business this year, has been co-opted on to our General Committee. We are sure his business expertise will be of great benefit to us and we appreciate his acceptance of our invitation.

The everyday work of our Group continues as usual. Our regional representatives are now fully operational with phone/fax/answering machines, so do not hesitate to give your local representative a call and bring them up to date with any new information you may consider appropriate. You, the members, can be of great assistance to us by feeding back local information from your area.

Names and contact numbers of the regional representatives are listed on the back page of this newsletter, and they will do what they can to assist you where possible.

Our thanks are due to Paula for her work on the Newsletter. When you have read your copy, please pass it on to another polio survivor who is not a member, and perhaps as an act of solidarity in the coming new millennium they will be encouraged to join our Group.

Many thanks

Jim.

Millennium Musings – by Joan Bradley:

I am leaving it, whether I like it or not, my mark on the earth, in fossils, in art, in writing. That a future generation might dig up the nitty gritty of my daily life, fills me with apprehension, but dig they will and with great delight too. Some will pontificate, be knowledgeable about my life and times, digging deeper and deeper.

Such longing, to know how past generations lived and died exists, that footprints must be preserved no matter what the cost. I wonder if, a thousand years from now, anyone will be foolish enough to spend large sums of money, just to preserve my footprint in time? If money still exists, of course. I wonder what they will call my Age? Not the Iron Age or the Stone Age; the ‘Plastic Age’ may describe me, the one that almost drowned in its own rubbish. My nuclear waste will still make their sensitive instruments jingle.

What about burying a time lapse capsule for them to unearth? I’d bury it deep, sealed in concrete. What to put into it would require some thought. I wonder if they would accept my writing? I would list my achievements and the miracles of my Age, some good peppered with a little of the bad; then leave any evidence I can muster.

But how can I show them that I have peace in my heart in a world full of hunger, genocide, murder and oppression? That I saved a generation with International aid, would be easier, if they dig up some survivors. That I learned to prolong life by transplanting organs would also leave its evidence. The fact that I ventured into space would be obvious. They would probably marvel at the bravery of those who travelled in such frail ships. At least they would know I was brave. That I was willing to spend large sums of money saving the life of one little child while destroying millions of them straight from the womb would need some explanation. They would think I was out of my mind.

I hope that some of the deeper things of my life would be known, my love, my hopes and dreams, my spiritual development. It would take more than a spade for them to grasp them.

Yes, I must fill my time lapse capsule with all I can muster of myself, and if they take my word for the things I cannot demonstrate, and cease digging, I will be pleased. Just as I accept, by faith, that great event two thousand years ago from which all millenniums commenced.

Joan Bradley

Going Forward with a Purpose – by Jackie Minnock.

Having a disability affects your outlook on life. How we see things is of benefit to those whom we share our world with. Sometimes we can become isolated from within ourselves, or by the restrictions of our surroundings. This can make going out difficult and we may have to depend on others for assistance to do so.

Here are some suggestions which can assist us to move forward with a purpose. Some of these I have taken up myself:

Join Lifelines Ireland - they need people to write and befriend prisoners on Death Row throughout the world.
Join Amnesty International. There are many writing campaigns that need people to assist.
Get involved in your local community/parish. When you see a need, perhaps an access issue, contact someone. Be on the lookout for opportunities to improve your quality of life and that of those around you. You may just be heard and heeded and then more than yourself will benefit.

We have experience and self-worth on our side, we should share that with others, thereby enhancing their lives and ours. - Jackie Minnock.

Contact Addresses:

Lifelines Ireland, 4 Chapel Manor, Dublin 20.

Amnesty International, 48 Fleet Street, Dublin 2.
E-mail: newsletter@amnesty.iol.ie

Report on Awareness Day, Cork, 11th September 1999

Forty-two members and friends attended the Awareness Day at St. Dominic’s Conference Centre, Montenotte, Cork on Saturday, 11th September 1999. The majority of those present were from Cork City and County and we were very happy to welcome travellers from Limerick, Waterford, Clonmel, as well as Dublin. The Regional Reps from Wexford, Sligo and Galway also came along.

The morning’s session was addressed by Joan Bradley, our able Secretary, who brought the meeting up to date on the position in the Southern Health Board area and also gave details on recent progress on the Committee’s work for the Post Polio Support Group. Paula Lahiff also spoke on the role of the Newsletter and asked for items of news and other articles of interest to our members.

In the afternoon, Ms. Kay Buckley, Soc. Ec. Adv. (rtd). spoke on ways and means of making life easier for ourselves in our household routines. Ms. Buckley had gathered a very interesting display of simple appliances and posters to explain her ideas. There was plenty of time for discussion and a lively exchange of views and shared experiences took place.

Also in the morning, all present took part in Group Discussions. Points raised included:

The need to make GP’s and other medical personnel aware of the Late Effects of Polio;
Vital that spouses be included in all aspects of Group’s activities;
Financial problems experienced by non medical-card holders;
The hidden "costs of disability";
Only the income of the Polio Survivor should be assessed when applying for benefits.;
Study days such as this were helpful.
Acquiring skills such as peer counselling and self-development were important.

Experiences were shared on where to go for aids and appliances, swimming sessions and therapy sessions. Also stressed was the need to have information available on car concessions, etc.

One suggestion put forward was that wheelchairs should be available in Supermarkets with a special key for access. Also suggested was a Telephone Help Line and training to be given to members to staff if.

Apart from the Group Discussions, an important part of the day was the time spent, especially over a very enjoyable lunch, in renewing old friendships and sharing ideas and difficulties. The general view seemed to be that it was a worthwhile and most enjoyable day.

Many thanks to all who were involved in supplying items/literature for the exhibition, particularly the following; Munster Medical Supplies, National Rehabilitation Board, Kendall Campeire Ltd., Eircom, ESB, and the Southern Health Board Health Promotions Unit.

We appreciate the help of Irish Wheelchair Association, Cork for providing the transport, and thanks are also due to management and staff of St. Dominic’s Conference Centre for looking after us so well.

Maureen O’Sullivan

Area Representative, Southern Health Board.

Uphill – (Polio and Post Polio) by Joan Bradley.

Four short years to run and jump and play

A mushroom springing up to face its day, in the moist grass of youth.

Struck down by virus hot as noonday sun.

A fevered battle raged and quickly won, and life was marred.

Limbs dried up and left out flat to waste,

One by one, until the whole was cased in inactivity.

Yet, something stirred within the withered frame.

Uniting with Creator power, it came from deep within.

A sap no mushroom ever knew to rise,

Powerful, rising upward to the skies, essence of hope.

The spirit that no virus can lay low,

Urging wasted heavy limbs to do - the impossible.

Inch by inch, a victory was gained,

Year by year new movement was attained, ‘til damage was undone.

Riding on the crest of normal life; almost.

Life seemed all downhill, on which to coast to end of days.

But lurking in the shadow was a foe,

A tentacle of ancient Polio, the final thrust.

Hard earned freedom slowly drains away.

Weariness and pain to keep at bay while life will last.

Yet, as before, the spirit is not marred.

Stronger now because the way was hard, all down the years.

Richer for the joy of things achieved.

Present, past and future, slowly weave a tapestry.

Stretching out to inability.

Hanging on to deep serenity, whatever comes.

Sure that the part, unconquered twice, and free,

When life is done, the body ceased to be, will mushroom new,

With God.

Joan Bradley

(Joan has given me permission to print her very moving poem, which she read with such dignity on RTE 1 Documentary, recently. Thank you Joan, it is an inspiration to us all. Ed.)