The iconic Caloundra Lighthouse was bathed in a vibrant orange glow on 13 October, as a symbol of the community’s commitment to raising awareness in the ongoing fight against polio.
Polio Australia, in collaboration with the Rotary Club of Caloundra and the Friends of the Caloundra Lighthouses, illuminated the lighthouse in a striking orange hue to raise awareness for the global fight against polio and inspire the community to take action in support of vaccination efforts.
Polio, a paralysing and potentially deadly infectious disease primarily affecting children under five, is spread through contaminated water and leads to irreversible paralysis in one in 200 infections.
In the mid-20th century, US physician Jonas Salk developed a successful vaccine, reducing annual cases from 58,000 in 1957 to just 5,600.
Clem Renouf, president of Rotary International from 1978 to 1979, initiated the program to vaccinate children against polio in the Philippines, paving the way for a polio-free world.
Since then, Rotary has contributed over $2.1 billion to protect nearly 3 billion people in 122 countries.
Polio remains endemic in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and recently Gaza, while 20 per cent of children in Queensland are unvaccinated in 2024; without ongoing efforts, the disease could paralyse up to 200,000 children annually within a decade.
A big thank you goes to Discount Lighting and Fans, Warana for providing spotlights free of charge to illuminate the lighthouse.
To find out more about the Rotary Club of Caloundra, visit rotaryclubcaloundra.com.au.
