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The Sandra Sagear Wall of Courage
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Sandra Sagear did. Sandy was a
1969 graduate from Plymouth High School (PHS). Sandy died about six years ago
from complications of post-polio syndrome. As a toddler, Sandy contracted
polio. After recovering from the acute phase of the illness, she was able to
walk wearing braces and attend public schools. I had the
privilege of going to school with Sandy Sagear. She was kind-hearted, caring,
and a good friend. She wasn’t the first person with polio to go to school,
nor was she the first person at PHS on crutches. Although, you could say she
made it through school by the seat of her pants. Remember
that PHS (now Central Middle School) is a 3-story building. Think back
thirty-five years: there was no elevator, no backpacks, but there was a dress
code. Sandy got to classes on the second floor by going up the Staff Stairs,
next to the Cafeteria. Because of her braces, it was difficult for Sandy to
walk forward up the stairs, so she walked up the stairs backwards
or she would sit down and scoot up the flight of stairs on her fanny… and
in a skirt. She did that every day for three years. Friends helped by
carrying her crutches and books up the stairs, but once on the second floor,
she managed on her own. [And when
she first got polio, her lungs were also affected; only one lung was healthy.
She developed an infection in her one functional lung and that contributed to
her death. That means in addition to going up those stairs at PHS/Central in
braces, it must have been difficult due to her limited lung capacity.] I can’t
remember ever hearing Sandy complain or ask for special privileges. She just
wanted to go to school. Sandy died about 6 years ago from complications of
post-polio syndrome. “Post-polio syndrome (PPS) is a condition that can strike
polio survivors anywhere from 10 to 40 years after recovery from an initial
attack of the poliomyelitis virus. PPS is characterized by a further
weakening of muscles that were previously injured by polio infection.
Symptoms include fatigue, slowly progressive muscle weakness, muscle and
joint pain, and muscular atrophy. Some patients experience only minor
symptoms, while others develop spinal muscular atrophy… PPS IS rarely
life-threatening. The extent to which polio survivors will suffer from PPS
depends on how seriously they were affected by the first polio attack.
Patients who had only minimal symptoms from the original attack and
subsequently develop PPS will most likely experience only mild PPS symptoms.
People originally hit hard by the polio virus may develop a more severe case
of PPS with a great loss of muscle function, difficulty in swallowing, and
more periods of fatigue. More than 300,000 polio survivors in the United States may
be at risk for PPS. Doctors are unable to establish a firm incidence rate,
but they estimate that the condition affects 25 percent of these survivors.” [National Institute of
Neurological Disorders and Stroke]
The World
Health Organization’s goal is to eradicate polio. “It is anticipated that the last case of polio will occur by
the end of the year 2000… However, there is no way to know for certain that
eradication has truly been achieved until it can be proved that there are no
cases of polio for three to five years after the last identified case. We
expect to celebrate the certification of a polio free world in the year
2005.”
[Rotary International] That will be
wonderful! No one will miss polio! But while we anticipate this “second
victory” over polio, we need to remember what happened the first time we
thought we had beat polio. In 1955 we couldn’t have anticipated that the
poliovirus would seek revenge by returning one more time to attack children
and adults who had had fought the disease once before. We have
memorials to soldiers who fought in wars, but I don’t know if there are any
statues, parks, … or schools … named after the children or adults who
suffered injuries, used crutches or wheelchairs after battling diseases,
other than FDR or Helen Keller. *** [John LaFarge]
~~~~ “I have learned that you can build a life upon hope, and if that
principle is your anchor, plenty of other people will cast their moorings
hard by you. Life has taught me that the hopeful policy wins acceptance
from even embittered minds. The prophet of despair gains a shouting audience.
But one who speaks from hope will be heard long after the noise dies down. As
St. Paul said, `Hope does not disappoint.’ It is man’s answer to the trust
placed in him by the Creator.” This is a
wonderful opportunity to give a school building a name and a young woman’s
history. I truly believe that Sandy’s strength, determination, and patience
will be as much a part of the building as the bricks and glass. Sandra
Sagear is a name that expresses Plymouth-Canton’s commitment to education, as
well as its respect for the physical and emotional needs of each and every
child.
***”Fifty-six years ago, FDR
dedicated new buildings for the National Institutes of Health. He said that
`the defense this nation seeks involves a great deal more than building
airplanes, ships, guns, and bombs. We cannot be a strong nation unless we are
a healthy nation.’ He could have said that today. President Roosevelt showed us that a man who could barely
lift himself out of a wheelchair could still lift a nation out of despair.
And I believe… in the most important principle FDR taught us: America does
not let its needy citizens fend for themselves. America is stronger when all
of us take care of all of us. Giving new life to that ideal is the challenge
before us tonight. Thank you very much.”[Christopher Reeve, Still Me,
August 1996] ~ … Debra Madonna … 6/24/99… |
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Note : The
Plymouth-Canton School Board did not use Sandy’s name for the new elementary
school, instead, they passed a resolution that a spot in the new high school
be set aside to honor Sandy. That
spot became “the wall”.
And in addition, to honoring Sandy, the names of others will be added
to the wall – those individuals, who overcame adversity in order to achieve
an education and gave back to their community. A scholarship has also been established in her name. September
29, 2004… |
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Last Updated September
29, 2004 Email: clarion@storytellerdesign.com Photos Property of V.
Bench & T. Sagear, Copyright © |