Or, in modern parlance, that they 'identify as' polio survivors and thus vaccination programmes to eradicate the disease are an affront to their unique selves.

She wrote parts of the magazine, but preferred to publish articles in the words of polio survivors themselves.

It runs a telephone and e-mail answer-line during business hours, responding to requests from polio survivors, clinicians, researchers, and journalists.

Today, many polio survivors with permanent respiratory paralysis use modern jacket-type negative-pressure ventilators worn over the chest and abdomen.

And it has been working with other organizations to include rehabilitation for polio survivors in the current program for the worldwide eradication of polio.