Cheshire Polio Hospital

The Hawaii group at the Polio Clinic

58 Rotarians from the US and Canada arrived in Addis Ababa on October 19th to visit various Rotary funded projects and to support the Global Polio Eradication Initiative in Ethiopia. Our first morning was spent at the Cheshire Polio hospital where children with polio in Ethiopia get treatment and rehabilitation. Polio is a highly contagious infectious disease that can lead to paralysis or even death. The polio eradication project has been highly successful with the fatal disease now only remaining a problem in a handful of countries such as India, Burma, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Sudan. Ethiopia’s recurring cases are coming in from the borders of Somalia, so that is where they plan on sending our group for the polio immunization later this week.

Rhona with a polio patient

Ethiopia’s Cheshire hospital is a place where landmine victims, polio patients and people with facial deformations are treated. Currently it is taking care of more than 5,000 patients per year. One of our Rotarian members is currently raising several million dollars for a therapeutic swimming pool. This project is led by the kind heart of Rotarian Denny Wilford, who himself had been afflicted with polio. Denny’s foundation hopes to supply Cheshire with treadmills, bicycle equipment, and gym equipment. The Canadian Wheelchair Foundation also donated many wheelchairs to the center on Monday during our visit.

Polio is a crippling disease that is painful to treat. The doctors straighten the child’s crippled limb by stretching it and setting it in a cast for a few months. This procedure is repeated until the limb is as straight as possible. At the clinic, they also make custom shoes, wheelchairs, and crutches. It truly is a remarkable place. You will see by the pictures that the children are happy. They have a glimmer of hope on their face and are eager to get the treatment they need so that they can go home soon, healthier. We brought the leis from Hawaii. The children also received pens, pencils, crayons, little toys and other small gifts.

Kayla is spreading cheer with leis from Hawaii

NOMA

Hawaii group with NOMA patients

Noma is a disfiguring disease that attacks some people that are malnourished. The face, particularly the nose, cheeks, and lips dissolve. Some people at the Cheshire are here for facial reconstruction in collaboration with Facing Africa. Facial patients stay at the clinic for around six weeks. It is a very emotional and sad thing to bear witness to. The pictures are a bit graphic, but I want to say this: these people are amazing. They are happy in spite of their circumstances and they are so friendly. Even though Kayla and I cannot speak their language, we know how to communicate with them. They express their love to us, and we express our love to them. Again, words cannot even begin to express what this experience was like. While the adults ate lunch, Kayla sat on the steps with some of the patients and played with a chameleon she had found. She is very calm and happy around children. They loved her!