By Nikola Božić, End Polio Now Coordinator for Zone 21, and a member of the E-Club of Serbia
Some of the most powerful moments in Rotary come when you least expect them. This happened to me recently after a long day of meetings at Rotary International Headquarters in Evanston, Illinois, USA.
Following preparations for upcoming training sessions, I joined about a dozen Rotary colleagues in Chicago for dinner. It had been an intense day filled with strategy and planning, and we gathered simply to relax, eat, and enjoy fellowship. I happened to be wearing my red “End Polio Now” shirt, something I often do because it not only represents a campaign I care about and support but also sparks conversations.
In the middle of dinner, the restaurant owner’s wife came over to our table. She apologized for interrupting and asked if everything was all right. Then she turned to me and said: “I see you are fighting to end polio. My husband is a polio survivor.”
She explained how her husband contracted the disease decades ago in the United States and what it meant for their family. And then, in a voice filled with emotion, she simply said, “Thank you. Thank you for what Rotary is doing.”
In that moment, our global campaign to eradicate polio, which can sometimes seem like statistics, strategy, and targets, became deeply personal again. We were no longer just talking about a few dozen of cases in 2024 or the remaining endemic countries of Pakistan and Afghanistan. We were talking about a man who survived polio, living right there in Chicago, whose life was forever changed by a disease we are committed to eradicating.
It reminded me of two important truths. First, polio is not ancient history. It shaped lives in more than 120 countries just a few decades ago. It has been eliminated in most, but the threat is still real and, as long as the virus exists anywhere, it is a risk everywhere. Second, carrying Rotary’s message, even on the back of a shirt, can create unexpected opportunities. It connects us with people outside Rotary who share our vision of a healthier, safer world.
This encounter also renewed my conviction that awareness must be continuous. Too often, polio surfaces in our conversations only in October for World Polio Day or during fundraising drives. But stories like this one remind us why we need to keep the flame alive year-round, by educating, by advocating, and by telling human stories that make polio real.
That night, a simple red shirt turned dinner into a moment of gratitude, connection, and inspiration. It was a reminder that every Rotarian carries the power to be an ambassador for our promise to the world’s children. And it was one more reason why I believe, with absolute certainty, that it is not a question of if we will end polio, but when.
Learn more about Rotary’s campaign to eradicate polio. World Polio Day is 24 October. Don’t forget to register your event on endpolio.org.
https://blog.rotary.org/2025/10/23/red-end-polio-now-shirt-sparks-special-moment/