Could you imagine being struck down by a deadly virus and if you survived, you wouldn't be able to walk without any help? In 1938, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's personal struggle with infantile paralysis led him to establish the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis (NFIP), which would help find a cure for infantile paralysis, better known as polio . This virus was usually contracted during childhood and attacked the central nervous system which, if the victim survived, would then usually suffer from debilitating paralysis throughout their life. Large epidemics of polio were widespread in many parts of the United States since the late 19th century, but the polio virus has since been largely eradicated in the United States. Although polio has been largely eradicated in the United States, the virus remains widespread in developing countries around the world. This foundation has since been given the name March of Dimes, which was coined early in the foundation's history. Although March of Dimes now focuses on preventing premature births, birth defects, and infant mortality, when it was founded its original mission was to raise funds for a polio vaccine, and once the vaccine was created , to prevent negative effects. effects of the vaccine. In the early days of the NFIP, the foundation had to focus on raising money to fund polio vaccine research. To help raise money for the vaccine, the foundation centered its campaign around President Roosevelt's birthday, because after all, the president was the creator of the foundation and the funding of the research needed to find a possible cure for polio was very close..... . middle of article...... Developing country perspective on vaccine-associated paralytic poliomyelitis. " Bulletin of the World Health Organization January 2004: 53-57. MasterFILE Premier. Web. March 9, 2014. Josephson, Eric. " Why Dimes Work. The Polio Foundation's dilemma. " Nation November 3, 1956: 361-64. MasterFILE Premier. Web. March 5, 2014. Spencer, Steven M. "Where are we now on polio? " Saturday Evening Post September 10, 1955: 19+. MasterFILE First Web. March 6, 2014. Wetzel, January "Volunteers prepare for walk for babies." The Tribune [Seymour, IN] April 21, 2009: page March 6, 2014 . An American "Must"" Saturday Evening Post January 16, 1943: 100. MasterFILE Premier. Web. March 6, 2014. Morris, Michaela G. “NMMC, March of Dimes Help Babies Get Healthy Start.” Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal [Tupelo, MS] February 22, 2014: n. Newspaper Source Web.. 2014.