World Polio Day, Eradicate Polio Campaign’s Roots are in Wenatchee

Members of Wenatchee Rotary planted themselves in front of the KPQ studio Thursday morning, World Polio Day, to take donations in the fight to eradicate polio - that is unfortunately still present in three countries. Rotary International's campaign for the cause has a direct connection to Wenatchee as the initiative started with Wenatchee man, Dr. Ed Cadman, and his daughter, Sue Rose, is still fighting for the cause.

"He was an orthopedic surgeon here in Wenatchee in the early 50s during the polio epidemic and that was a huge impact on him," said Sue Rose, Wenatchee Rotary member. "I remember him talking about just going to the Deaconess Hospital in the middle of the night and just hearing the noise from the iron lung."

Cadman would transition from a rotary member to the international president of rotary and that's when he started the eradication initiative. The international campaign was his personal project that kicked off years of rotary members fighting to eradicate the disease.

"He rallied a million rotarians around the world to start this project, it just makes me very proud - even if I wasn't a Cadman - to take part in this. We are really making an impact around the world," said Rose.

As of Thursday afternoon, Wenatchee Rotary raised $800 outside KPQ and $700 prior to the event. With the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, 6 to 1 match - Wenatchee Rotary raised $1,500 on World Polio Day.