Polio Oz News
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Volume 8, Issue 4 PolioOz News D e c e m b e r 2 0 1 8 — Summer Edition By Jan McDonald, Geelong Polio Support Maximising Independence, Chair Dancing, Group (Vic) Finances, Making Mosaics, Early Polio Memories, and more. Well, didn’t we have another amazing Retreat!!! This year’s annual Polio Health and Wellness Sunday’s offering was around “The Spirit”. Retreat was held at the beautiful seaside town of Maryann Liethof, Polio Australia’s National Glenelg, just out of Adelaide. Program Manager, took us on a journey exploring “What makes your whole body light up?”. This Winnie, Denise with her husband, Doug, and I provoked quite a discussion amongst us – God, took the trip West from Geelong. Once again, we music, nature, art, family, what?? We then had a were treated to 3½ days filled with information, choice of discussion groups on Christianity, friendship, and fun. Buddhism, and Aboriginal Spirituality. The site of the Retreat was also the venue for A highlight of the weekend was the Celtic Music the annual “Walk With Me” event to raise money Club of South Australia, which entertained us for the work of Polio Australia. So on Thursday with tunes while we had dinner on Saturday afternoon we lolloped, tottered, strode, wheeled, night. and shuffled our way along the delightful waterfront, and thoroughly enjoyed the Of course, we did arrive back home utterly camaraderie along the way. exhausted. We thoroughly enjoyed the days, and emerged armed with a few more hints and tools Each one of the three main days had a different to help us feel “well-rounded” physically, focus; the Body, Mind and Spirit. mentally and spiritually. Friday’s ‘menu’ centred on “The Body”. We had a A Retreat like this also makes us aware that choice of several sessions including Myofascial without the planning, commitment and goodwill Release, Balance, Breathing and Stretching of Polio Australia organisers, as well as our local Exercises, Meditation, Hydrotherapy, Fatigue, group leaders, we would not have this, and all Muscle Loss, Foot Care, Sleep Health, Partnering the other help we get. Without the cohesiveness Polio . the list goes on. of all polio survivors, our voice will become silent, and we could easily become conveniently On Saturday, it was time to focus on “The Mind”. forgotten by government. So, a BIG thank you to This included activities to keep our minds all who do their bit to allow us to be recognised. activated, as well as having fun. Such a variety; 2018 Retreat and “Walk With Me” participants wearing orange bandanas. All Retreat photos can be viewed online here. National Patron: Dr John Tierney, PhD, OAM Page 2 Polio Oz News Polio Australia P r e s i d e n t ’ s R e p o r t Representing polio survivors As December and in every state and territory. throughout A u s t r a l i a rolls around it In the last six months, there have is time to been eight well-attended reflect on the Community Information Sessions Suite 605, 89 High Street year’s on the Late Effects of Polio in Kew Victoria 3101 achievements, Victoria and South Australia, with PO Box 500 enjoy some more to come in 2019 in these Kew East Victoria 3102 down time over states as well as Tasmania. Phone: +61 3 9016 7678 the holidays Funding is currently being sought E-mail: [email protected] and, through to employ a second Community Websites: www.polioaustralia.org.au both processes, Development Worker to service www.poliohealth.org.au get New South Wales. Gillian Thomas www.australianpolioregister.org.au reinvigorated to do it all again next year! We reached a significant milestone this year, celebrating Contacts Having received some funding our tenth anniversary in August. President—Gillian Thomas from both the Department of In 2005, when I first proposed [email protected] Health and Spinal Life Australia, it the idea of a national body to the Vice President—Brett Howard was a pleasure to start 2018 with State Polio Networks, little did I [email protected] staff available to expand our know that we would be thriving in services in the directions we had 2018. Secretary—Jenny Jones long dreamed of. At our team [email protected] meeting early in the year, the Our Polio Health and Wellness meat was put on the bones of the Retreat in October returned to Treasurer—Alan Cameron 2018-2020 strategic plan South Australia. In a first this [email protected] developed by the Board at our year, we held our AGM and a 2017 AGM. To recap, our strategic Walk With Me event in National Program Manager priorities are: conjunction with the Retreat. Maryann Liethof Walk With Me is our major [email protected] Education (raising public fundraising drive each year, with awareness of, and educating the beneficiaries being both Polio health professionals and polio Australia and the State Polio Inside this issue: survivors about, the Late Effects Networks who participate. of Polio); Bound For South Australia 1 Capacity Building (future Other highlights of the year President’s Report 2 proofing Polio Australia to included: ensure sustainability); Revamping the Polio Australia From The Editor 3 Partnership Development and Still Here websites to keep NDIS Survey 3 (enhancing internal and external them topical, interesting, and World Polio Day 4 relationships); and easier to navigate; Program and Survey Updates 5 Advocacy and Visibility Expanding our social media Conferences 7 (lobbying and advocating, whilst activity and building a solid and creating positive visibility in the engaged following through Supporting Polio Australia 8 community). regular posts and discussion Walk With Me 2018 Highlights 9 starters; Dare To Dream 10 Our work throughout 2018 Launching the Next Generation furthered these priorities. Report on Motor Scooters 11 Polio Survivors project Changes To Accessibility 12 Forty-three Clinical Practice (including a new Facebook Housing Standards Workshops were held, providing Group); and Accessing Palliative Care 14 education to more than 580 In 2019, we hope to introduce health professionals, across every our fun, new ‘Splish, Slosh, Sister Kenny’s Memorial 14 state and territory. The impact of Splash’ education activity to Growing Up with Polio In 1950’s 15 the training on the lives of schools across Victoria—see Book Review 16 Australia’s polio survivors is p23. inestimable. As polio survivors we News From Abroad 17 should encourage our own health What a difference 10 years of Polio This Week 22 professionals to attend a effort, a growing funding base, and increased staffing can make! workshop when it reaches our “I love how summer just area. Entries on the Health In closing, on behalf of the Board, wraps its arms around you Professionals Register also grew I wish you all a very Merry like a warm blanket.” apace – there are now 197 Christmas, and a healthy and entries, across many professions peaceful New Year. ~ Kellie Elmore ~ Gillian Unless otherwise stated, the articles in Polio Oz News may be reprinted provided that they are reproduced in full (including any references) and the author, the source and Polio Australia Inc are acknowledged in full. Articles may not be edited or summarised without the prior written approval of Polio Australia. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of Polio Australia, and any products, services or treatments described are not necessarily endorsed or recommended by Polio Australia. Page 3 Polio Oz News F r o m th e Blue skies, longer days, Patrons, see p4. Steph was also invited warmer weather, beaches, to speak to around 70 participants at crazy-hot cars, flies, bush Polio Network Victoria’s annual Polio fires, drought . Aahhh, Day. summer in Australia! There are many more program areas We were lucky to have a taste we’ve been working on, including a of this in Adelaide for Polio makeover of the www.stillhere.org.au Australia’s annual Health and website. Take a look! Wellness Retreat and Walk With Me fundraiser in A couple of articles will be of interest to people Maryann Liethof using motors scooters on p11, or anyone Editor October—it’s not too late to donate! 64 polio survivors and requiring accessible housing on p13—and who doesn’t? their family/friends joined us from across Australia, as well as New Zealand and Taiwan! Dr John Tierney has been busy in his Jan McDonald’s article on p1 provides an ‘retirement’, submitting two articles on p14-15; overview, whilst you will see more photos of our one on his visit to Sister Elizabeth Kenny’s ’walkers’ on p9. All photos of the Retreat are Memorial in Nobby, Queensland; and the other online here: www.polioaustralia.org.au/retreat- on his experience of growing up with polio in the 2018/. In October 2019, the Retreat will return 1950’s. to New South Wales; details will be updated on our website, as they become available. Many people may have read about the ‘polio-like’ illness that is sweeping across the USA. Whilst Throughout this edition, you will see how Paul, it’s definitively not the poliovirus, the condition is Polio Australia’s Clinical Health Educator, and just as frightening—see p18 for an update. Steph, our Community Engagement Officer, are both contributing to educating health There is also an inspiring look at how 3 polio professionals, and the community, respectively. survivors are now helping to eradicate polio in You can read the results of a survey on the use Pakistan on p20, and a link to a report on PNG’s of orthoses, as well as participate in a current polio outbreak response on p21.