Chapter I
“PLACE YOUR LITTLE BOY on this table, please,” the doctor requested of my mother. He had spotted something. Having confirmed his suspicions, he was not ready to break the news to my twenty-year-old mother who, for the first time, had come to the hospital without my father.
“Your son’s right leg is a few inches shorter than the left one. He has polio in that leg, and there is no cure for that,” the doctor dropped the bombshell on my anxious father.
My illness started a new chapter in my parents’ lives. A chapter that would soon be filled with a never-ending list of activities I could not perform.
Life from then on would pose innumerable challenges for my parents, and even more for me in years to come.
This book is about how I managed to face and overcome many of those challenges and how I turned most of those challenges to my advantage.
About
ARUN PATEL
Struck by polio after his first birthday, he was left with two simple choices: either dwell on the lost opportunities or embrace the reality and create his own opportunities. He opted for the latter.
Not willing to be left behind in a world dominated by able-bodied people, Arun used his disability induced fierce spirit of competitiveness to achieve excellence in personal and professional life.
Winner of the inaugural British Citizen Awards, Points of Light and a few others, his work has also been acknowledged by well known dignitaries like Dr Abdul Kalam, the then president of India. Arun’s story is a real life testament of what is possible in all fields of life despite being physically challenged.
 | “Arun’s life is a reminder that unexpected situations hold millions of possibilities,if only one is ready to pay attention”-Sadhguru | AWARDSWinner of British Citizen Awards, Redbridge Community Award. Also acknowledged by the then president of India, the late Dr.Abdul Kalam |
BBC Essex l Rob Jelly talks to Arun Patel l 9th Nov 2021
Arun appeared on BBC Essex to talk about polio, Rotary and his recent book, “Out of My Way, Polio!” on its Rob Jelly programme on Tuesday, 9th November at 6 pm.
Lyca Radio interview with Keith Vaz : 25th Jan 2022
Asian Voice ” one to one” interview with Keith Vaz on 19th Jan 2022
Article in British Polio Fellowship magazine – the bulletin
8th November 2021 | Eastern Eye Weekly newspaper
17th October 2021 Nusound Radio with K Ghedia
Kanji Ghedia, Nusound Radio 92FM interviews Arun Patel, BCAh Sunday, 17th October 2021 | 9.00am-12.00 noon, Interview – 11.00 am Discussion on his journey from Uganda to UK and his book ‘Out of My Way POLIO!’
November 2021 issue | British Polio Fellowship Bulletin
Diwali 2021 Magazine of Asian voice
Whenever difficult situations arise, we can exercise a choice: to become wounded or wise. May Arun's story inspire you to become wise and wonderful.
Triumph of opportunity over sympathy! This is a story of one man’s resilience, of never taking no for an answer, of demonstrating that where there is a will there's a way – even for a physically-handicapped individual.
his page turner is a story of grit, a deep desire to succeed and what became a Herculean effort to serve others. Arun changes the tide on whether a disability is actually an ability to overcome life’s most significant challenges. A true depiction on how if you can ‘dream it, you can do it’. Arun’s story is one that needs to make it into our classrooms - just imagine mastering your biggest obstacles, Arun’s story is clear evidence that we can.
In future, if you see someone in need of help , just stop and do something about it.” – so is the message passed on to Arun on a deserted road in Zambia as he borrows fuel from an African “Mzee”. Arun’s book does what many self help books are unable to do, which is to remind us of a bigger purpose in one’s struggle to overcome challenges which life throws at all of us. “Out of My Way, POLIO” is a book written with warmth and humility and is a great read for all. Anyone having that existential moment, wondering what they are doing in life, this is a must read.
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