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  Footage from Children's Archives: Caring for Polio Patients
  Gallery: Treating Polio at Children's
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  Polio Then and Now
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Flower Noreen Abbot
Image Transcript
I always had enough to eat. I had clean clothing. But [mother] was not nice to me when it came to my handicap, to my polio. She was always reminding me that there was something wrong with me, and I'm just not like other people, and other people are better than me. Other children are better than me. Able-bodied children are better than me.

So I think that whenever I read a book about someone's biography or autobiography, and about what wonderful, supportive parents they have, it's very emotional for me, because it just reminds me of what I didn't have. I mean, I'm not bitter against my mother, or anything like that. But it's just a large part of your life. It's just very important to be loved by your parents and encouraged by your parents, which is something I didn't have. So I do admire, and I do think it's wonderful for any handicapped child to have loving parents, and parents that don't, you know, tell them, you know, "Oh, you're-," you know, call them names or tell them how stupid they are or whatever, because they are handicapped. Because they can't help it.
Listen to the Interview [mp3, 240KB]
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