On April 12th, 1955, it was announced to the world that the Salk vaccine was found to be safe and effective. Instantly, Salk became a hero – a globally recognized household name. The relief and gratitude of parents worldwide were shown through awards, handwritten thank-you cards, and hundreds of newspaper headlines celebrating the news.
The work of Jonas Salk is ongoing, his legacy is living on in the Rotary International’s End Polio Now campaign, which is leading us closer than ever to ridding our world of polio. The story of Jonas Salk and the early Pittsburgh polio vaccine volunteers inspires us to pull together to face our common problems and imagine a new and healthier future together.
