“MARCH OF DIMES”

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVII, Issue 23113, 30 January 1945, Page 3

“MARCH OF DIMES”

Fighting Infantile Paralysis How President’s Birthday ' Is Spent The American people will to-day celebrate the birthday of Franklin D. Roosevelt, 31st President of the United States, as they have celebrated this event for the last 11 years—with festivals of help and hope for those stricken by the dread disease, infantile paralysis. To-day, birthday balls and entertainments will be held in communities throughout the nation to raise funds for combatting the disease.

Joining in this annual crusade against infantile paralysis are persons of every group in America—workers, industrialists, fraternal associations, Boy Scouts, school children, church groups. All through January contributions to the drive known as the “March of Dimes” pour in to swell the fund for fighting the disease.

The history of this unique birthday celebration goes back to 1921, when President Roosevelt, who had previously completed his service as wartime Assistant Secretary to the United States Navy, was himself stricken with infantile paralysis. He was treated at Warm Springs, in the southern State of Georgia, one of the few places in the United States equipped at that time- for treatment of victims of the disease. During the following decade, President Roosevelt contributed much of his personal fortune to the development of the Warm Springs Foundation, making it possible for many patients to obtain specialised treatment. In 1934, President Roosevelt dedicated his birthday to the fight against infantile paralysis and the fund-raising birthday celebrations were begun. The following year, with half of the 1934 birthday funds, President Roosevelt established a research commission to conduct an infantile paralysis survey. The National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis was established January 3, 1938, sponsored by President Roosevelt, to lead, direct and unify the fight against the disease. Research Grants Half the funds obtained through the birthday celebrations go to the National Foundation, which then disburses the money in research grants to colleges and hospitals in a continuous effort to find the cause of paralysis, to trace the bases of past epidemics and to improve methods of after-treatment of poliomyelitis cases. The other 50 per cent, is retained for the local work of the foundation’s chapters, which includes medical and surgical care, orthopedic equipment, transportation to and from clinics and financial aid in payment of hospital expenses for patients needing that type of care. In 1944 a total of 10,712,130.75 dollars was collected by the Fund Raising Appeal of the National Foundation, an amount approximately double that collected in 1943. A portion of this money was used by local chapters through the nation to render every possible aid to victims of infantile paralysis, who numbered 18,000 through 1944 in the worst epidemic of the disease in the United States since 1916. On his 62nd birthday, President Roosevelt said in a message to the nation: “The generous participation of the American people in this fight is a sign of the healthy condition of our nation. It is democracy in action. The unity of our people in helping those who are disabled, in protecting the welfare of our young, in preserving the eternal principles of kindliness—all this is evidence of our fundamental strength with which we are meeting our enemies throughout the world.”