In the context of the extraordinary work so far accomplished by the Brothers in helping those with leprosy, Monseigneur Zoa, their bishop entrusted them with the task of aiding 240 000 little polio sufferers living in the Cameroon for whom there was little hope of relief. For the Brothers, this mission meant having to face a new challenge. As was the case with the leprosy sufferers, they were venturing on a totally new terrain, not even knowing what a “polio” sufferer is. Without losing a precious moment they pulled up their sleeves and set out to work. Over time their generosity has become increasingly creative. They organised vaccinations across the country ; they designed new prosthesis to equip these small, deformed legs.
In order for the children who are often abandoned by their families to be reinserted into society, they taught their parents not only to build prosthesis (orthèses) but also gave parents lessons on how to re-educate and strengthen the muscles that have been affected (atrophies) by the disease. Their know-how of putting children and adolescents back onto their feet again, transgressed barriers and took them to the end of the world.
The Fathers asked their Belgian doctor’s colleagues to come and aid them during the holidays. This is how the organisation “Médecins Sans Vacances” (Doctors without Vacation) was born with the idea being that doctors consecrate some of their free time in working in local clinics in poor countries.
