Gary's Polio Project to India

Our polio survivors trip to India is to boost vaccination teams to help keep India 'polio-free', support polio survivors here in Australia and India, and eradicate polio from our world FOREVER.

We would appreciate any donation no matter how small. The gesture of support behind a donation is as important to us as the donation itself.

Hi, my name is Peter Podbury. I helped set up this page. That's not me in the picture above...it's my friend Gary Newton when he was 7 (with his niece Christine).
In 1954, just after his 1st birthday, Gary got polio...badly. I was born in 1956, the year the vaccine first became available in Australia. Gary just missed out on it, and it changed his life forever.

I will give you a link to Gary's story later. First I want to tell you why I am asking for your help.

Because of his amazing attitude and persistence, Gary has led an incredible life. With the support of his great family, he has become many things including Pro-Vaccine Campaigner, Guest Speaker, Motivationalist, End Polio & Disability Inclusion Advocate plus a highly regarded radio presenter.

He's also a proud father, a grandfather & a hard working volunteer for Polio Australia. Gary is passionate about protecting kids and ending polio forever so no child (or their family) will ever suffer again from this devastating disease.

I offered Gary my time to help with this campaign to get his volunteer group of Geelong polio survivors, now in their 60's & 70's, to India to continue the fight to end polio and support polio survivors.

Gary and 2 other Australian polio survivors, Jennifer Merrett & Jan McDonald along with 2 'carers' are travelling to India in 2018. They aim to keep India 'polio-free' by helping administer the polio vaccine to children in areas of 'last refusal' in Dehli.

Keep in mind there are 26 MILLION newborns each year in need of protection in India which borders Pakistan, one of 3 countries still harbouring polio today. 

Gary, Jennifer & Jan will also be visiting the polio ward at St Stephens Hospital in Dehli and speaking at various events telling their stories of disability & survival showing first hand that disability is not 'the end of life'.

This trip will also honour Gary, Jennifer and Jan's parents (in fact all parents of polio children) who gave so much of themselves for their polio-stricken kids, and a tribute to their boundless, unswerving devotion.

Follow along on their trip to India here: Gary's Polio Project To India and see pictorially exactly how your money is being put to use.

We have worked hard and reached our goal of enough money to get this team of Geelong polio survivors to India but we want to do MORE.  

We still need to raise further $$$ for the Global Polio Eradication Initiative and Polio Australia to help adults, mostly Gary's age and older back here in Australia, cope with the late effects of polio that survivors are now facing through the establishment of more training workshops for health professionals to learn about the late effects of polio and PPS.

Please donate today, every single cent of every single dollar will help our work. There's no government money for this trip. All money raised will come from public donations from compassionate, like-minded people who share our passion for helping end polio.

And there are no Admin fees so every dollar helps IN FULL. 

 We urgently need your help to meet our targets.

Click here for Gary's story

Gary, Jennifer & Jan are passionate that polio is eradicated, worldwide, so that no child (or their parents) ever has to go through what they have.

Please share this page with all your Facebook family and friends. Like it on Facebook and thank you, in advance, for your support.