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HBO: How did you come to this subject, and why
did you want to tell this story?
Irene Taylor Brodsky: Dr. Larry Brilliant, who is the head of the
philanthropic arm of Google, was part of a
1970s mission to eradicate smallpox, which is
the only virus that we've ever been able to
eradicate, as in truly wipe off the face of the
earth. Polio, on the other hand, is one that
public-health workers have been trying to
eradicate now for 20 years.
Larry felt they needed a push. The movement
to eradicate the polio virus was losing steam
because it had been going on for so long. The
workers were getting tired and discouraged,
and the public was getting skeptical and
cynical about it. And those of us in the
western countries had just completely
forgotten about the disease.
So he asked me if I'd be interested in
investigating. Once I did, I realized there was
this enormous untapped story that was very
much worth telling and, cinematically, would
be a great opportunity.
HBO: And this problem isn't limited to India, is it?
Irene Taylor Brodsky: As long as the virus exists anywhere in the
world, no one is safe. Because it may not be
within our borders right now, but all it takes
is one person, flying in on an airplane, driving
in on a bus, walking over the border, you
name it, that's all it takes. When I came back
from two months in India, I felt I had an
ethical and a civic responsibility to vaccinate
my children. If I do not vaccinate my child,
I'm creating a safe harbor for many viruses,
including polio, to live. One of the morals of
this story is for social change to occur from
within, as opposed to coming in from the
outside and being imposed on a community.
HBO: What can people do to help the cause of
eradicating the polio virus?
Irene Taylor Brodsky: Well, practically speaking, we need more
money. And I think most of all what we need
is to encourage the health workers and let
them know that we support them, we're on
their side, and that the eyes of the world are
watching them, and are proud of this amazing
accomplishment they're doing. Because in the
world of public health, eradicating the virus is
beyond challenging; it's forever. You're doing
something that is forever going to alter human
history. All those children who are not going
to be crippled, are not going to be a burden on
the society and their families. And, so the
Oscar® nomination was an enormous boon to
these people. Because it let them know that
the world is watching what they're doing. And
that they care. And that we haven't forgotten
about this disease.
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