Page 8 - 2024年10月號

Mark Maloney (far left) presents
John Sever’s wife, Gerane, (center)
with the International Service
Award for a Polio-Free World.

TRUSTEE CHAIR’S MESSAGE

Remembering a hero

of polio eradication

World Polio Day, on 24 October, is a time But we get back on our feet. This year, we
to celebrate progress and rededicate ourselves to ended an outbreak of wild poliovirus in Malawi and
finishing the job of eradicating the disease. Let’s Mozambique that was caused by an importation
also honor the countless Rotarians and Rotaractors from Pakistan in 2021, and we decreased variant
who have championed the cause. One such hero was poliovirus cases. Rotary and our partners stay
John Sever. flexible, developing new tactics while staying
Sever, who died in April at age 92, was a focused on the long-term goal, with optimism.
member of the Rotary Club of Potomac, Maryland. Delivering a polio-free world with stronger
An infectious disease specialist at the U.S. National health systems and communities is not only right
Institutes of Health, Sever recommended in 1979 for humanity but also a smart investment in future
that Rotary make polio eradication a global goal, generations. It will be Rotary’s greatest gift to the
expanding what began as a national vaccine world.
campaign in the Philippines. Countless heroes have followed Sever’s lead
It is hard to imagine where we would stand Ñ from the club president who organized her first End
today without Sever’s decades of leadership, Polio Now fundraiser to the advocates, donors, and
expertise, and advocacy. In August, I was honored volunteers. We are all part of this story.
to present his family with the International Service With your support, this year’s World Polio
Award for a Polio-Free World and a crystal Day will be the greatest ever. Donate to End Polio
recognition piece in Sever’s name. Now at rotary.org/donate. Your gift will be tripled,
What he helped initiate, PolioPlus, became thanks to the 2-to-1 match by the Gates Foundation.
an example of implementing an action plan in Join or initiate a PolioPlus Society in your club or
PHOTOGRAPH: PATRICK FLEURY decreased by more than 99 percent since 1988. second time in history.
district. Raise awareness in your community about
Rotary. Thanks to him Ñ and the volunteerism and
how we will eradicate a human disease for only the
generosity of countless others Ñ polio cases have
Whatever you do, do it for future generations
The path to our goal could not have been
who will live without this debilitating disease. Let
predicted and may take longer than expected. There
us deliver on our promise to the world’s children
are sometimes setbacks, as we experienced with
and end polio forever.
increased cases in Pakistan and Afghanistan this
year.
MARK DANIEL MALONEY
Foundation trustee chair
6 ᇃᢊ׭ᎈȁ2024.10