Half way across the planet, 18 people strived to change the world, one vaccine at a time.
Half way across the planet, 18 people strived to change the world, one vaccine at a time.
On March 9, team organizer of National Immunization Days for his Rotary district Tom Veevers, and 17 others, including many Haddonfield residents, embarked on a journey to India to administer polio vaccines, while meeting some unexpected and notable figures along the way.
“I always contributed money towards eradicating polio, and I said before I retire, I would really like to go administer the vaccine to the children myself,” Veevers said. “It is a great experience.”
Substantial progress has been made in the past decade to eradicate polio, and only three countries have not eradicated the disease, including Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan. In the past few decades, India has made great strides in eradicating polio. It reduced polio from 1,934 cases in 1998 to one case in 2011, and today, India is certified as polio-free, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Rotary clubs around the world, including Rotary District 7640, have been heavily involved in eradicating viruses. This trip was Veevers’ sixth trip overall, primarily visiting parts of India and Nigeria, and Veevers said he was honored to have had the experience.
Children lined up to have two drops of potentially life-saving serum placed in their mouth. For several days, the group administered oral vaccines to thousands. The group also performed door-to-door operations, where the teams would locate children who may not have been vaccinated. The vaccinated children are then identified with a mark on their finger, to indicate to health-care workers the child has been immunized.
“You realize that that child will not develop polio and there’s a lot of kids that are walking that may have been affected in the past had it not been for vaccines,” Veevers explained.
Echoing Veevers’ sentiments, group member and Haddonfield resident Kathy Tassini thought that, of every part of her trip, being able to administer vaccines was the most fulfilling. On a bus, only seats away, she recalled the heartbreak of watching a 30-year-old man with leg deformities caused by polio.
“To some extent I felt lucky … but I was in awe with the commitment of the parents, families and Rotarian workers had to protect the health of their children,’’ Tassini said. “It’s still a very visible problem over there.’’
In addition to administering vaccines, the group also met some familiar faces.
After traveling to Dharamshala, the site of the private residence of the Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of the Tibetan people, the group was able to hear him talk about the need to teach compassion.
“Someone asked him once we eradicate polio around the world, what should Rotary’s next step be?” Veevers said. “He thought for a minute.”
According Veevers, after pondering the question, he replied he believes the world should focus on teaching compassion in schools from a young age and learning core values as these would make the world a better place.
Overall, group members walked away feeling humbled and thankful to have gotten the opportunity to make a difference and meet incredible people along the way.
‘’What we really learned is how fortunate we are to live in the U.S.,” Haddonfield resident and group member Jim Tassini said. “We can turn on our tap water and have drinkable water, have streets that are in repair, and our standard of living.’’
Although it was Jim’s first trip with the Rotary Club, he has been a Rotarian since 1979.
“I am very proud to proud to a Rotarian,’’ Jim said. “We all need to care for the less fortunate people in the world.’’
Although this will be Veevers’ last trip, other members of the group are eager to go back next year and help make the world a better place.
“You can be a member of Rotary and not be a Rotarian,” Veevers said. “There’s people that come to some of the meetings and have their dinner or lunch or whatever it may be and put on their resume that they are a member of Rotary International, but until you go on one of these trips and actually administer vaccines, it sort of changes you … then you are Rotarized and experience the true meaning of what Rotary is.”
To join Rotary District 7640, visit https://www.rotarydistrict7640.org/contact/. For additional information, contact Veevers at (856) 625–7639.
