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POLIO VICTIM TO CELEBRATE WITH FAMILY /A bright-eyed boy who just three weeks ago believed, because doctors had told him so, that he would spend the rest of his life'in bed hopelessly crippled from infantileparalysis, will sit up a little straighter in Ms shiny new wheelchair today, push himself up to the Thanksgiving table and like his two brothers and his family, say, *‘A drumstick for me please!”And like his brothers, Roger, 3,end Harry, 8, and his father, Gerald Boyle, 9-year-old Jerry will get a drumstick—although it won’t be turkey.“Until turkeys come with four drumsticks,” said Mrs. Doris Boyle in describing plans for her family’s Thanksgiving feast, “we will eat chicken—two nice fat roosters, with a drumstick for each of the ■boys’.”Jerry’s story, revealed today by the Alameda County chapter of theNational Foundation for Ihfantile Paralysis, sponsors of the March of Dimes fund raising drive January 16-30, began when he was stricken with polio in New Jersey in October, 1945.Completely paralyzed from the neck down, Jerry spent 10 months in eastern hospitals, but did not regain use of Ms stricken muscles. He could not turn over, or sit up without being held in position.Discouraged, Mr. and Mrs. Boyle moved their family to Oakland three weeks ago, to join Mrs. Boyle’s mother. Mrs. Ann Wagner, 3120 Grove Street, and to seek new aid for Jerry,Their appeal to the local March of Dimes group opened a new phase in Jerry’s fight back to health.^ fl n 1 nrt nr T V»■»- vmination we can show him how to use these muscles that are strong, and teach him how to graduallystrengthen others,” declared Mrs. Catherine Boyan, March of Dims physiotherapist, in describing the methed used in getting Jerry out of bed and into a wheelchair in less than three weeks.Under her guidance the boy has painstakingly learned to hold his body in a sitting position, dress himself, propel his own wheelchair, and is now working toward the day when he can manage crutches.Within the next few days he will resume his interrupted school studies, under the tutelage of a “home-bound teacher” and will begin occupational therapy projects to strengthen his arm and hand muscles.In the meantime, Mr, and Mrs. Boyle are searching for a suitable home, where Jerry can wheel Mm-- — 4- r- *1-. ***—*'-—* lt;r, m - *eneed. in farm work, Boyle hopes, to find a job on-a ranch, where his, family can be with him.
Newspaper Details
Oakland Tribune
Oakland, California, US
Thu, Nov 28, 1946
Page 40
Full Page
Clipped by
Timberland R.
WA, USA 17 Aug 2021
Other Publications Near Oakland, California
Sunday Oakland Tribune
Oakland Tribune
