Childhood polio survivor Catherine Bell offers reflections as part of Laurier’s People Make History lecture series

Nov. 24, 2020
For Immediate Release

Brantford – As the world navigates the COVID-19 pandemic, Wilfrid Laurier University’s People Make History lecture series will offer first-person insights from a survivor of another pandemic that confronted Canadians: the poliovirus pandemic.

In a lecture titled “It Changed My Life Forever: Memories of Polio in 1950s Ontario,” guest speaker Catherine Bell will share the story of her childhood polio diagnosis, her rehabilitation journey, living and working with post-polio syndrome and her volunteerism with March of Dimes Canada. All are welcome to register for the free, online Zoom event, which takes place Nov. 26 from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

Sponsored by the late Mary J. Stedman's estate and hosted by the History program at Laurier’s Brantford campus, the biannual People Make History lecture series invites witnesses of historical events to tell their stories. By sharing memories, speakers bring history to life and make critical links between the past and contemporary times.

“I believe this is a timely and important lecture that will shed light on the lives of Canadians during the polio outbreaks of the 1950s,” said Christina Han, associate professor and History program coordinator in Laurier’s Faculty of Liberal Arts. “Catherine Bell’s personal stories of great strength and hope in her lifelong fight against polio will inspire us in our current struggle against COVID-19.”

Attendance at the virtual event requires a Zoom account. Guests can register online. Learn more about how to obtain a free Zoom account.