Laura administering "2 Drops of Life"

Rio Grande Rotary member Laura Smart traveled to India in February to administer the polio vaccine in a fight to eradicate the disease. Through the “2 Drops of Life” program set up by the World Health Organization, it is the organization’s hope that polio will be eradicated in India by 2012.

In a country affected by poverty and despair, Laura, with fellow Rotarians, set out on a journey to bring hope to the children of India.

Laura left the comfort of her home in Las Cruces on Feb. 3 and traveled more than half-way around the world to help administer the polio vaccine to thousands of children in an effort to save their lives from the disease that may result in permanent disability or even death.

Showing left finger painted purple indicating she's had the Polio Vaccine 2-9-10

Laura joined 37 fellow Rotarians from around the world in this fight to eradicate polio.  From Feb. 3 to Feb. 14, the Rotarians administered two drops of the polio vaccine orally to advance Rotary International’s quest to immunize every child 5 years of age and younger in India.

Laura, despite not having a medical degree, was never nervous or afraid to administer the vaccine to the children.

“The World Health Organization has been administering the “2 Drops of Life” for more than 10 years now, so all Indians are accustomed to it,” she said. “There is nothing to fear.  We vaccinated 55,000 children in three days. The (people of India) know about this program since they’ve seen how polio can ravage the body of those who never received the vaccine as a child.” Laura states that parents with children under the age of 5 understand the consequence if they choose to not vaccinate their children. “There are cases of people crawling around on the streets who have polio,” Laura said.

India Welcomes Rotary

She explained that in India, residents live in close proximity with their cows, chickens, goats, pigs and wild dogs. Slums consist of rundown shacks and tents made from signs and tree branches. Laura knew her trip to India was not a vacation, but a mission of compassion. “I’ve traveled all over the world working, vacationing and volunteering for various mission trips,” she said.

Laura and her husband, Bob Crowley, moved to Las Cruces in 2005 after she retired from Delta airlines where she served as a flight attendant for 30 years.  Laura has stayed busy volunteering for the American Red Cross, Search and Rescue Team, Mesilla Valley Hospice, a homeless children’s organization, as well as serving as a Rotarian.

“I consider myself a “mission junkie” and ask God every day to reveal to me what He wants me to

Slums in Chandigargh 2-8-10

me to do next,” Laura said. “I want to bless as many people as possible since I have been

so blessed by having wonderful parents, family and friends.”

After 20 years of hard work immunizing against Polio, Rotary International and its partners are on the brink of eradicating this tenacious disease.  A strong push is now being carried out worldwide by Rotarians to root it out once and for all. It is a window of opportunity of historic

Panipat Mid-Town Rotary Parade 2-6-10

proportions.  This push has been made even more important by the $355 million in challenge grants received from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.  As long as polio threatens even one child anywhere in the world, children everywhere remain at risk. The stakes are that high; another example of Rotary working for a better world.