Polio Survivor Ramesh Ferris Cycled Across Canada to Raise Awareness About the Disease
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Ramesh Ferris was born in India and contracted polio when he was 6 months old. When he was 2 he was adopted by Canadian parents and was able to get treatment for the condition, The Langley Advance reports.
Ferris was able to learn how to walk with the aid of crutches after undergoing several surgeries and rehabilitation as a child.
In 2008 he hand-cycled across Canada to help raise awareness and funds to help fight polio. He raised more than $300,000 to donate to Rotary, an organization dedicated to helping children with the illness. He cycled more than 4,000 miles in 173 days.
"Rotary's fight against polio has such a personal connection for me," he told the news source. "To be able to prevent children from suffering through the same pain and suffering that marred my childhood is something that truly touches my heart."
Ferris now speaks about his condition and the work he and other organizations have been doing to help those children in countries affected by the disease.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), as of 2008 there were only four countries in the world that remained vulnerable to polio outbreaks. They are Afghanistan, Nigeria, India and Pakistan.
Polio is an infectious disease that is caused by a virus that enters the body's nervous system. It can cause complete paralysis within hours of entering the body, and mainly affects children under the age of 5.
There is no cure for polio, but there is a vaccine that is given to children multiple times and helps protect them for the rest of their life. Children that contract polio may have surgery and go through rehabilitation to help regain some movement.
Ferris was able to learn how to walk with the aid of crutches after undergoing several surgeries and rehabilitation as a child.
In 2008 he hand-cycled across Canada to help raise awareness and funds to help fight polio. He raised more than $300,000 to donate to Rotary, an organization dedicated to helping children with the illness. He cycled more than 4,000 miles in 173 days.
"Rotary's fight against polio has such a personal connection for me," he told the news source. "To be able to prevent children from suffering through the same pain and suffering that marred my childhood is something that truly touches my heart."
Ferris now speaks about his condition and the work he and other organizations have been doing to help those children in countries affected by the disease.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), as of 2008 there were only four countries in the world that remained vulnerable to polio outbreaks. They are Afghanistan, Nigeria, India and Pakistan.
Polio is an infectious disease that is caused by a virus that enters the body's nervous system. It can cause complete paralysis within hours of entering the body, and mainly affects children under the age of 5.
There is no cure for polio, but there is a vaccine that is given to children multiple times and helps protect them for the rest of their life. Children that contract polio may have surgery and go through rehabilitation to help regain some movement.
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