One Step at a Time: Turning Passion into Action for a Cause
Polio. What is it? Wasn’t it eradicated years ago? Why are we talking about it now?
Polio impacted the world as a global disease, leading to outbreaks that affected people worldwide.
The 1916 polio epidemic in New York City was one of the first major outbreaks in the United States, affecting over 9,000 people and leading to around 2,000 deaths, which raised public awareness and fear about polio. The Salk vaccine was introduced in 1955.
Today, we’re fortunate to live in a country where the polio vaccine is part of children’s routine vaccination schedule, and where sanitation practices help prevent the spread of diseases like polio. However, that isn’t the case everywhere.
Thank you to those who followed my journey and supported my challenge to raise funds for the Rotary Polio Fund. True leadership is about leading by example and inspiring others to take action. Leading up to World Polio Day on October 24, I wanted to show how “easy” it can be to raise both awareness and funds for a cause. For me, that cause is polio.
Though I thought I understood the fight against polio, this journey taught me even more about the challenges we face and the commitment required to make an impact. My goal was to raise $1,000 toward polio eradication worldwide and get myself moving! To do this, I pledged to walk 10,000 steps daily for the six days leading up to World Polio Day.
Honestly, I was nervous. I knew I was capable to walk 10,000 steps, but I wasn’t sure how steps would fit into my schedule. Looking at my calendar, I thought, “How am I going to manage 10,000 steps each day without walking until midnight?”
It might sound a bit ridiculous, but I started training the week before Day One. Calculating the number of steps walking around the block in my neighborhood and how many steps is fifteen minutes on the treadmill? These are important data points as I planned my walking schedule. Like every successful project or initiative as a leader, we need to plan and anticipate prior to day one.
Day one: 10,600 steps. Walk 15 minutes early morning before getting ready for work and twice around the block.
Day two: 10,382 steps. Same schedule and visited the UW Health Swedish American Hospital polio display.
Day three: 10,019 steps. Whew! It’s getting more difficult – finished walking at 8:15 p.m. Here are a few lessons learned the first three days.
Walk with a stick to handle the stray dogs.
Be courteous and cross to the other side when two walkers are walking on the same side of the street and don’t worry about the guy with two large dogs who was offended.
Walk towards traffic so you don’t get surprised by an EV driving behind you.
Schedule steps in your calendar just like a meeting.
Don’t walk during meetings. It’s awkward and distracting for both the walker and the meeting attendees.
Day four: 10,000 steps. Yep! I stopped walking exactly 10,000 steps. Tough day! Learned quite a bit at the Rotary club of Pecatonica (IL) event on polio. Following are a few highlights:
Did you know that there is a Vaccine-Derived Polio Virus? More than 20 countries have reported outbreaks of VDPV as of 2023. So, there’s more to do…
Those who contracted polio, have a chance of recurrence called the post poliomyelitis syndrome and the average time is 36 years after initial infection!
Did you know the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation matches $2 to every $1 donated to the Rotary Foundation?
NO CURE for polio – vaccination and sanitation are the solution!
Day five: 10,046 This was a tough day sitting at a conference (aspire 2024) in Schaumburg. Quickly eating lunch with amazing business owners, and walking around and throughout the hotel and convention center to get to 5,000 steps before the afternoon conference sessions. Finished my steps by walking in circles through the living room and kitchen at 10:15 p.m.
Day six: 10,300 YAY! I did it! Another tough day. How am I going to schedule these steps? Driving to downtown Chicago is 2 ½ hours one-way and my new phone has not arrived. Going old school, I googled the nearest parking garages to my meeting location and used that location for my car’s navigation system. Then I printed the walking directions from the garage to my meeting location. Well, it was obvious that God had a hand in this 10,000 step challenge because the meeting garage was 3,000 steps from my meeting location and there was a parking garage directly across from the meeting building. UGH! Why didn’t Google show me THAT parking garage? Because I needed to walk! Driving home I had walked 7,125 steps so 30 minutes or so on the treadmill and I’m home free!
Here are the final lessons learned:
Listen to disco music – it makes the time pass and it’s fun!
Get up every hour to walk around even if it’s in circles in the living room
Where there’s a will, there’s a way. Don’t let the weather deter your walking plans
Tell everyone about your challenge. They want to support you and your endeavor.
Body is designed for movement
YES it can be done!
Thank you for your support and donations. We raised $1,110 in direct donations and $3,330 total with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s match.
As a leader and executive in your organization, be sure to give back, pay forward, and lead by example.
What cause lights a fire in your heart, and how can you take action to support it? Every big impact begins with one small step—start yours today.
