Karen Andrews (McPherson, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak about polio, the impact that the disease has on the lives of those affected and the remarkable efforts of the Gold Coast Polio Support Group, and in particular its convenor, Lyn Glover. Polio is a devastating disease that has historically affected thousands of people worldwide. People of all ages can contract this crippling and potentially fatal disease. However, it mainly affects children under the age of five that have not received appropriate immunisation. The majority of infected people have no symptoms or very mild symptoms which can usually go undetected. These people become carriers of the disease. In contrast, there are other people who can display the common symptoms, including signs of fatigue, a fever, headaches, nausea, stiffness in the neck and pain in the limbs. In some cases, infections can lead to irreversible paralysis and this usually occurs in the legs. The virus spreads through the central nervous system and destroys nerves responsible for activating muscles. Without the activation of these muscles, the limbs becomes quite limp. In most extreme cases, paralysis can result in quadriplegia.

There is a remarkable polio survivor living in my electorate of McPherson who contracted paralytic poliomyelitis back in 1958, on her fifth birthday. Lyn Glover was immunised when she was five years old, yet only a few days later she was diagnosed with polio and put into isolation, away from her family and friends. She was placed in a steel cot and could not walk for three years following the diagnosis. The pain and bullying she endured is still strong in her mind today. Lyn, like many others, is concerned that the people who contracted polio many years ago are now experiencing the late effects of polio. Post-polio syndrome has been emerging in sufferers at a later stage in their lives. Like Lyn, there are many other polio survivors suffering unaccustomed fatigue, muscle weakness, muscle and joint pain, loss of mobility, increased sensitivity to the cold, sleeping difficulty and the declining ability to perform basic daily activities. Many polio survivors find it hard to find the right support for these symptoms, as many GPs have limited understanding of the condition and are unable to offer much advice or treatment in this area. This has led to the need for a dedicated polio advocacy service here in Australia. As I mentioned earlier, Lyn Glover is the convener of the Gold Coast Post Polio Support Group that operates in conjunction with the Queensland Spinal Injuries Association. There are 25 members at present and these numbers have been increasing along with the community's awareness. The group meets to discuss with other like-minded individuals the issues they face on a daily basis and through this group they are able to support one another in a truly unique way. As a means to inspire other members, Lyn organises outings for the group and has organised a wellness retreat on the Sunshine Coast for April next year. Lyn was recently recognised for her outstanding contribution to the community when she received a Gold Coast City Council division 11 community service award. I congratulate Lyn for this achievement.

Polio is endemic in Afghanistan, Nigeria, India and Pakistan. In these countries the condition of sewerage services and contaminated water contributes to spreading this cruel disease. It is truly heartbreaking to see young children in these poorer countries with little or no mobility or aid to assist them with their daily activities. It is very confronting to see images of these children with crooked limbs and contorted bodies suffering. It is these images that have prompted worldwide attention to push for global eradication. Although we live in a country where we are not confronted with these images on a daily basis, we need to be aware that there are sufferers amongst us who have endured years of pain and isolation. Sadly, there is no cure for polio. There are some treatments aimed at reducing the severity of symptoms. However, the rarity of this condition in our country makes finding these treatments a trying task. I commend the efforts of polio support groups in assisting sufferers through these challenges.

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