National charity The British Polio Fellowship is targeting GPs as British Polio Month commenced with a splash on 7 July at Trinity School in Croydon. QVC presenter Julia Roberts was joined by other The British Polio Fellowship Ambassadors and authors. Team GB Paralympians James Crisp, Anne Wafula Strike and John Watts, plus authors Tony Klinger and Gareth Williams, all participated in the fundraising curtain-raiser for British Polio Month, featuring Julia ‘swimming 100 lengths of the pool’ - as in her book by the same name describing how she used swimming as a coping strategy against Polio.
As part of British Polio Month, the charity has embarked on a communications campaign with GPs and health professionals, in order to raise awareness of a little understood condition called Post Polio Syndrome (PPS) affecting over 120,000 in the UK today.
The letter has been distributed to GP surgeries and mailed out to over 200 Clinical Commissioning Groups to circulate the letter to GPs in their geographical region, encourages GPs and health professionals to take a quick survey about PPS to help improve the speed of diagnosis for sufferers.
About The British Polio Fellowship
The British Polio Fellowship is a charity dedicated to helping, supporting and empowering those in the UK living with the effects of Polio and Post Polio Syndrome (PPS). It provides information, advocacy, welfare and support to enable its members to live full independent and integrated lives and works to develop worldwide alliances with other Polio and Post Polio groups for the mutual benefit of its members.
Further information about The British Polio Fellowship and details on how to make a donation can be found at www.britishpolio.org.uk or by calling 0800 018 0586.
About Post Polio Syndrome (PPS)
Post Polio Syndrome (PPS) is a neurological condition which can occur in up to 80 per cent of those who have had Polio. It is thought that around 120,000 people in the UK are living with the effects of Polio or PPS today.
After an interval of several years of stability, individuals can develop increasing weakness, fatigue and pain in previously affected or unaffected muscles, a general reduction in stamina, breathing, sleeping and/or swallowing problems and cold intolerance. PPS usually begins very slowly, although it can appear suddenly and often following triggers such as falls, surgery or immobility.
There is no specific cure for PPS, but properly managed it may stabilise or only progress slowly and lessen the cost on the NHS. Much can be done to retain independence, including appropriate treatment for symptoms, self-management strategies such as pacing and energy management, appropriate use of adaptive equipment, looking after your general health, and social and emotional support.
Associated with the nervous system and the brain.
Full medical glossary