Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Hand cyclist raises $250,000, reaches midpoint in campaign to end polio





by Media Coordinator, posted in Press Coverage - Tue, July 8, 2008

It’s taken three months and 3,600 km, but Ramesh Ferris’ Cycle to Walk cross-Canada hand cycling campaign has raised $250,000 for the fight against polio — and it’s only half finished.

“We need to end polio, just so we know we can actually do it,” says Ferris on reaching the midpoint in his campaign 50-km east of Nipigon on Sunday. “How can we expect to end AIDS, cancer, or any number of other diseases when we’ve had the solution to polio for so long, yet we still can’t seem to beat it?”

There is no cure for polio, but a preventative vaccine has existed for 53 years. It is history’s greatest cause of disability.

Ferris, whose legs were paralyzed by polio in infancy, urges Canadians not to forget about the disease. “Right now, 11 per cent of Canadians have not received the polio vaccination,” he says. “Those people are vulnerable. Australia declared its first case of polio in decades at this time last year.”

The fight to eradicate polio — led by Rotary International and the World Health Organization — is the largest public health initiative in world history. After two decades and $4 billion, the job is 99 per cent complete. Annual funding shortfalls of about 20 per cent are preventing complete success.

Cycle to Walk is a national fundraising and awareness initiative that aims to help eradicate polio, educate Canadians about the disease’s continued threat, and rehabilitate polio survivors worldwide. Visit www.cycletowalk.com for more details.



Ramesh was the Student Body President when I went to Confederation College back in 2000, and I was very lucky to have run into him again in Thunder Bay a little over a week ago. He and I chatted for a little while about how after college in 2002 he went back to India (from where he was adopted back in 1982), and saw the situation that those with polio were in there without rehabilitative supports. He told me what he saw and it made my heart ache.

Ramesh has decided to take that heartache and use it as fuel for change. He's determined to help, and he's already halfway there. After seeing that calm unwavering look in his eyes I am certain he is going to reach this goal of crossing Canada. He'll raise the funds they are aiming for, and he'll do it all with a smile.

Ramesh is currently cycling through Northern Ontario, along Highway 17. Keep an eye out for him and show him your support!

You can support Ramesh by going to Cycletowalk.com's Donation Page

and you can follow his progress Follow Ramesh's Journey

You can also check out his Facebook Group

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