Participants joined internationally renowned physician, researcher, and author Dr Hannah Wunsch for a compelling exploration of the 1952 polio epidemic and the revolution in medical care it sparked. Drawing from her acclaimed book The Autumn Ghost: How the Battle Against a Polio Epidemic Revolutionized Modern Medical Care, Dr Wunsch uncovered the extraordinary story of the clinicians, scientists, and community members who reshaped medicine in the face of crisis. In the webinar, Dr Wunsch revisited the pivotal moments of the epidemic—from the race to save lives in overwhelmed hospitals to the innovations that laid the foundations for modern intensive care. She reflected on what this history teaches us today: about preparedness, public health, and the human ingenuity that emerges under pressure. A Professor and Vice Chair for Research in the Department of Anaesthesiology at Weill Cornell Medicine, Dr Wunsch is a leading expert in critical care outcomes whose work has appeared in The Lancet, JAMA, BMJ, and other major journals. She brought to the session not only deep clinical and research expertise but also a storyteller’s eye—shaped by her parallel career as a writer and playwright. This was a rare opportunity to hear directly from one of the foremost voices connecting medical history with the future of healthcare.