Hello and welcome to Spotlight. I'm Marina Santee.

 

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　　And I'm Ruby Jones. This programme uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.

 

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　　Imagine this situation. You awake from sleep, feeling very sick. Your chest is painful - you find it difficult to breathe. Your legs feel like you have run a very long distance! Your head hurts and your eyes burn. You do not want to miss a day's work. You know that your family need the money. But they will manage - just for one day. So you decide not to go to work. You send a message to your employer. Then, you find some medicine and go and rest.

 

　　Now, imagine this. You are the leader of your country. You awake from sleep, feeling very sick. Your chest is painful - you find it difficult to breathe. Your legs feel like you have run a very long distance! Your head hurts and your eyes burn. You decide that you are too sick to go to work. However, you know that you cannot stay in bed. Your work is too important to miss even one day! People are depending on you. And not just your family - a whole country! News of your sickness would make the public think that you were weak. Your enemies may take this chance to make trouble for you! You sit up and try to get out of bed. It is going to be a long, hard day. But what else can you do? Your people come first. And noone said that governing a country would be easy!

 

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　　There is no question that governing a country is a great responsibility. It demands a clear mind. Leaders often have to make quick, difficult decisions. It demands that leaders are in top mental and physical condition at all times. So, what happens when a leader becomes sick, or suffers from poor health? This question greatly interested a man called David Owen. David Owen is a retired medical doctor. He is also a member of the United Kingdom government. During his political life, Doctor Owen met many world leaders. As a doctor, he was interested in their health, as well as their politics! And, in 2008, Doctor Owen published a book on the subject. In it, he examined the health problems of world leaders over the past one hundred years. He called the book, "In Sickness and In Power." Today's Spotlight is the first of two programmes about this book. Here, Doctor Owen describes the book's purpose:

 

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　　"I have an unusual background - more than forty years being involved in medicine and politics! With this experience, I have tried to examine past examples of bad health in heads of government across the world. I have described their sicknesses. And, I have written about the political events that happened during those times. Readers can then judge for themselves what connections there may be between the leaders' health and the way events happened."

 

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　　One of the most important events over the last hundred years was the Second World War. During that time, Leaders made decisions that affected the lives of millions of people. What they chose to do and how they acted changed history. It was a time of great worry and concern for everyone. And it was not a good time for a leader to be sick! In his book, Doctor Owen examined the medical state of the main leaders involved in World War II. One of these was Franklin Roosevelt.

 

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　　Franklin Roosevelt was President of the United States at the time of the Second World War. When he became president, he was already suffering from poliomyelitis. The polio virus had attacked his body's nerve system. And it left Roosevelt unable to move from the waist down. This meant that he could not walk. However, he kept his condition secret from the American public. He appeared to enjoy good health. In 1939, the war began in Europe. At first, Roosevelt did not want to involve the United States in the conflict. But as time went on, he felt under pressure to change his mind. This affected Roosevelt's health. His blood pressure increased. And he developed a serious lack of iron in his blood. Doctors had to supply him with fresh blood. However, Doctor Owen does not believe that Roosevelt's bad health influenced any of his political decisions. Roosevelt was an intelligent leader. And he did not think that the American public would support him sending soldiers to fight a war in Europe.

 

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　　However, in 1941, an event took place that changed President Roosevelt's mind. The Japanese air force attacked an American navy base at Pearl Harbour. The United States government then declared war on Japan. Doctor Owen's book describes how the president's health grew worse over the next two years. Roosevelt developed heart disease and lung problems. But these did not stop him from working. And in 1944, he presented himself as a candidate for president again - and won! But his success did not last for long. Roosevelt eventually died in April, 1945 - just weeks before the end of the war. Doctor Owen comments that:

 

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　　"Roosevelt knew about the serious state of his health. And it was not right to present himself as a candidate for president again in 1944. But it is hard to believe that a new US president would have made much difference to the result of the war in those last few months."

 

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　　Roosevelt had particular success when discussing the war with other world leaders. Doctor Owen observed:

 

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　　"It is true that a healthier man than Roosevelt may have taken a more active lead in discussions. But Roosevelt, in truth, got what he and the United States wanted. Roosevelt fought bad health from the time he caught polio. But it was just like his character to plan for the future and not think about his health."

 

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　　So far, we have only looked at the physical health of leaders. However, Doctor Owen's book also examines their state of mind. In the second Spotlight programme on this subject, we will talk about more about this issue. And, we examine the Hubris Syndrome. Doctor Owen claims that all people in power are at risk of developing this mental condition - but what is it all about? We will tell more in our programme ‘Sickness and Power - Hubris'.

 

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　　The writer and producer of this programme was Ruby Jones. The voices you heard were from the United Kingdom. All quotes were adapted and voiced by Spotlight. To hear more Spotlight programmes, visit our website: http://www.Radio.English.net This .programme is called "Sickness and Power".

 

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　　Spotlight is now on Facebook. To find us, just look for Spotlight Radio. Thank you for listening today, goodbye.