Allen Gibb the toddler who left home and came home a boy with polio

Allen Gibb is one man trying to help raise awareness to the way Polio ravages not only children but adults too. Australia had an inclusive immunisation programme that had eliminated the disease by the mid eighties and now we are under threat of it's return by people who for unknown reasons are refusing to immunise their children. I will post more of his story later, but as Allen now faces post polio syndrome, with the disease returning and further reducing his capabilities it may be timely to look at what he had to endure as a child. This poster shows the contraptions he was tied into to help him carry on and play as best he could with other children.

As Poster boy for the Crippled Children's Association he was doing his bit back then.

Now older and more world worn, Allen might disagree with the comments of the letter to the Down Every Street Appeal's helpers, but he would agree that the cause is still worth fighting for.

Mate I salute you.

We will soon have more to relay as Allen tells us his perspective of being a child suffering with this disease and how it is revisiting him now. In the meantime, we ask that you investigate the benefits of immunisation yourself, before saying no to immunising your childtren.

Time for a kick in the pants

Okay so I haven't put anything on the blog for a few days, nor have I made an attempt to write anything more than an occasional e-mail. I am a chronic procrastination sufferer and this disease is one of laziness. Not something that has been clinically diagnosed, it's more a journey of self discovery and awareness.

I once read if you can't find inspiration to continue writing your work, write about the lack of original thought until you begin to get back into the habit. Today this is what I'm doing, giving myself a well intentioned kick in the pants.

Wordsmiths of Melton didn't meet last Wednesday as it was our first week of the month and the room we use at the library is occuppied, not a key was touched. At our last meeting the group were discussing their entries in the Melton Story Competition and although we have all agreed to submit something I am finding the story hard to develop, several themes rattle around in a skull berefit of original ideas and the echo of defeat resounds in my mind.

Well that's enough self pity from me for now, I feel the kicking complete and and idea developing.

Thanks for the visit, but I have to get on with my writing now.

Cheers,

Terry