The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-01-25

tCOU tlTueu ITOIIl Fdkc l) producing the present far-adVanced progressive methods Of treatment. Much of that education and research has been directed within the Water bury area and the local chapter headed by Dr. E. J. Godfrey, with it's campaign under the director ship of Atty. Francis Mcdonald.
 Those are the famed Sister Kenny crutches Joan uses as shown in the picture. They strap part way up the arm and are thus supported by the arm when the body weight is upon them. Tn such manner there is no undue strain placed on the shoulders chest or arms of chil- dren resulting in the over-develop- ment of these parts of the body dur ing their formative years of growth. Joan has "educated' these crutches to meet her gallant spirits"
 Ask her parents If the March Of Dimes is worthy cause! Ask them their opinion of the National Foundation for combating this dread disease!
 We received that opinion when this writer cautiously inquired as to their willingness to allow The Waterbury Democrat to feature a picture and story of their daughter as an appeal for support of the cause, and to print the placardS.
 Parents Lend Help
 MT. and Mrs. Begley are conserva- tive, unassuming people who nave courageously helped Joan win her way back to the sparkling good natured child she is. They are not the type seeking publicity and, knowing that. we understate 1t when we say our approach was cautious.
 Their answer was unanimously spontaneous:
 If 1t will help the cause of the MARCH OF DIMES you certainly may use her picture
 There 1t Is on the front page of this paper, and after today you will see 1t on hundreds of placards throughout the city, in store win dows, factories, public buildings and elsewhere. We all hope that you will be like others who have seen it and the real Joan-unable to resist that appeal she is making for her more than one hundred thousand small comrades who have been afflicted by this illness
 Joan is taken to the Newington Hospital each Wednesday by Mrs. Gordon Hurlburt and Mrs. Judson Wells, volunteer members of the Waterbury Red Cross motor corp. There she receievs the theraputic messages and treatments deter mined to assit in the -evitalization of her leg and foot muscles, and the muscular reeducation treat mentS proven so successful in re- storing the use of the stricken limbs of these victims.
 This service is rendered for other local victims of infantile while ad- ditional facilities are offered at Naugatuck. Derby and New Haven where similar clinics are established. In each instance the parents. where able, as in the case of Joans', pay a fee.
 Joan is not an unusual case of such gratifying recovery. There are thousands like her who are pro- gressing toward that day when the first shock and disheartening marks of the illness will be but a dream or recalled only by slight limp or hesitancy in reactions.
 She does not appeal for herself but for the thousands who were stricken before today's treatments became fact and who now lie in beds in hospitals or confined to their homes. And for the thousands who yet may be stricken and whose greatest hope Is the progressive re- search into the causes. prevention and treatment conducted by the Foundation for combating infantilt paralysis.
 Attacks All
 These wartimes bring home to all the sufferings of the men on tht battlefront. Peacetime or wartime mems little to the Great Cripplcr' infantile, however. for 1t strikes sil. ently, swiftly and surely, and hit! poor and .ich alike. Treatments foi the average ckild patient extend be. yond the $1,OO0 cost mark. Youl dimes given willingly oenerously can and will do SO much toward ending, or softenlng the fears and fright of the Very young who are SC cruelty chosen to be the victims
 Give now to the local chapter dur. ing this campaign and throughout