More than 50 years ago it was one of the worst diseases facing our country. Every summer and fall polio would ravage thousands.

These days, the disease seems like a memory for most, but Mae Inscoe, this week's Hometown Hero has made it her life’s work to bring awareness back to the disease.

Around the holidays we often think of people who have touched our lives and this week’s Hometown Hero, Mae, is definitely one of them.

Mae has had polio since infancy and her trials and tribulations inspired her to help others.

The effects of polio and Post-Polio Syndrome have been brushed under the carpet by many in the medical field as being a problem of the past, but over the last three decades Mae has spent countless hours educating numbers on its lasting effects.

Her group peers are overjoyed that Mae's work is being recognized. A doctor once asked Mae if she didn't have polio what would she have done in life.

“Probably raced motorcycles so he said thank God for polio,” Mae said.

She’s a Hometown Hero who turned her tragedy into a life long labor of love.

If you would like to nominate someone for a hometown hero you can write us a letter about that person or send us an e-mail. Our address in Charleston is 111 Columbia Avenue and in Huntington we are at P.O. Box 2115 and our e-mail address is news@wsaz.com, or you can just click on the "hometown hero" link on our webchannel.