Dream big, College grad on worldwide polio campaign tells high school students

A vocal advocate of eradicating polio worldwide made a stop in Thunder Bay Thursday and gave high school students a lesson on dreaming big.

Confederation College graduate Ramesh Ferris was struck by polio as a child. He's best known for cycling across the country back in 2008 in an effort to highlight the crippling disease.

His campaign has even led to a meeting with Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the Queen of England.

Polio continues to spread in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nigeria, and Ferris' home country of India. He says although Canadians are vaccinated against it, the disease is just a plane ride away, and many elderly Canadians still suffer the after-effects of polio from their youth.

Ferris is speaking with students to send the message that any dream can be achieved if you set your mind to it.

Ferris has completed a book titled Better than a Cure - One Man's Journey to Free the World of Polio. 

Proceeds from book sales will support the Rotary Club’s Polio-Plus campaign for a Polio Free world.