ALS For support and discussion of Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also referred to as "Lou Gehrig's Disease." In memory of BobbyB.


advertisement
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 08-17-2008, 07:37 AM #501
BobbyB's Avatar
BobbyB BobbyB is offline
In Remembrance
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 4,609
15 yr Member
BobbyB BobbyB is offline
In Remembrance
BobbyB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 4,609
15 yr Member
Heart

Joan Hodgman, 84; County-USC doctor was at forefront of neonatology field


Los Angeles Times
Dr. Joan Hodgman, center, looks at a premature baby who has undergone surgery in 1967 at Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center, where Hodgman developed one of the nation’s first intensive care units for newborns. She died of Lou Gehrig's disease Aug. 10 at age 84.
By Elaine Woo, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
August 17, 2008


Dr. Joan Hodgman, an influential pediatrician at Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center who helped define the field of neonatology and guidelines that improved the standards for newborn care, died Aug. 10 of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease. She was 84.

A longtime resident of Arcadia, Hodgman died at a family cabin in Oregon, according to her daughter, Ann Schwartz.



Dr. Joan HodgmanHodgman spent 60 years at County-USC, including three decades -- from 1957 to 1986 -- as director of its newborn division. She played a central role in developing its intensive care unit for sick and premature babies -- the first in Los Angeles and among the first in the nation -- and led efforts that dramatically reduced the hospital's infant mortality rate.

A prolific researcher and USC professor of pediatrics who wrote or contributed to more than 300 articles and books, she was particularly known for her studies on sudden infant death syndrome. She also was a leading voice in debates over the ethics of saving extremely damaged babies, often raising painful questions about when heroic measures should be abandoned.

"The name Joan Hodgman is recognized by every neonatologist throughout the world," said Dr. Lawrence Opas, County-USC's chief of pediatrics and director of graduate medical education at USC's Keck School of Medicine. "She was one of the great sages."


Hodgman was born Sept. 7, 1923, in Portland, Ore., and grew up in San Marino.

The daughter of an Army Corps engineer, she was raised to believe that "being a woman shouldn't stand in her way," said her cousin, Irene Hartzell. She entered Stanford University at 16 and earned a bachelor's degree in 1943 before pursuing her medical education at UC San Francisco, where she was one of the few women in her class.

She moved to Los Angeles in 1948 and completed her pediatric residency at County-USC in 1950. After two years of private practice, she returned to County-USC as head physician for pediatrics in 1952 and became director of its newborn division in 1957.

She quickly recognized the need for a specialized setting to care for the sickest babies. Around 1961, more than a decade before neonatology became a recognized subspecialty, she organized a newborn intensive care unit and began developing protocols for diagnosing its tiny patients.

Early in her career she saw "that we didn't know everything about these babies," said Dr. Bernard Portnoy, a pediatrician and longtime colleague. "She built up, with her students and colleagues, a group of symptoms and signs that alerted us to what we could do in terms of keeping these little babies alive."

Within 10 years, her efforts resulted in a 50% decrease in the infant mortality rate, which affected thousands of babies. By the late 1970s, County-USC was delivering nearly 20,000 babies a year, with as many as 50 newborns in the intensive care unit at a time, Opas said.

Hodgman was known for her teaching as well as for her clinical excellence. "My image of her is doing this detailed examination and making me repeat the examination until I got it right -- and I'm not a neonatologist," said Opas, who met Hodgman as an intern more than 30 years ago. "She definitely left a mark on my career and countless other pediatric residents over the 60 years she was at County hospital."

As medical advancements enabled doctors to save more severely debilitated newborns, Hodgman began to consider the ethics of saving them. The urgency of the issue became clear to her one day in 1979 when she walked in on a medical team pounding on the chest of a 3-day-old who had already been subjected to several heart resuscitation attempts. "Seeing all those people pounding on that poor baby gave me a violent physiological reaction," Hodgman recalled in a 1985 Times interview. "I said, 'Stop! What in the world are you doing?' " The doctors looked at her and then at the baby before walking away.

The incident opened a discussion of whether all that can be done medically should be done when an infant's vital functions are so compromised.

"She was very much interested in making that a debatable question," said Toke Hoppenbrouwers, a longtime colleague and research collaborator at County-USC. "That in itself was not too easy because we had a hospital where a lot of people would under no circumstances give up the fight. But she was willing to question it and do the research to support the need to face these questions."

An athletic woman who enjoyed physical challenges -- she taught Portnoy how to body surf and water skied well into her 70s -- Hodgman was known for frequently challenging accepted wisdom.

"I feel that we should try not to give care that is futile," she said. "I don't see futile care in terms of dollars and cents -- which in one sense it is -- but as an issue of compassion that is centered on appropriate care."

In 1999, Hodgman received the Apgar Award from the American Academy of Pediatrics, the highest honor in neonatology. Named after Virginia Apgar, the inventor of the Apgar Score for evaluating babies in the first moments after birth, the award is given annually to a person whose career has had a continuing influence on the well-being of newborn infants.

A widow at 47 who never remarried, Hodgman was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease last year but continued to work until she retired in February.

In addition to Schwartz, Hodgman is survived by another daughter, Susan Di Pietro; a brother, Donald; and four grandchildren.

Memorial donations may be sent to the Joan E. Hodgman Endowed Scholarship Fund at the USC Keck School of Medicine, c/o Michael Mayne, 1975 Zonal Ave., KAM 300, Los Angeles 90089.

elaine.woo@latimes.com
__________________

.

ALS/MND Registry

.
BobbyB is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote

advertisement
Old 08-20-2008, 01:00 PM #502
BobbyB's Avatar
BobbyB BobbyB is offline
In Remembrance
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 4,609
15 yr Member
BobbyB BobbyB is offline
In Remembrance
BobbyB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 4,609
15 yr Member
Heart

David F. Lamoree, 43, Adams
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20, 2008

ADAMS — David F. Lamoree, 43, of 11756 Lyons Corners Road, died Wednesday morning at his home, where he had been under the care of her family and Hospice of Jefferson County. He died from complications of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, often referred to as Lou Gehrig’s disease.

The funeral will be 11 a.m. Saturday at Smithville Baptist Church. Burial will be in Union Cemetery, Adams Center.

Calling hours will be 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Friday at Piddock Funeral Home.

Donations may be made to Cystic Fibrosis, 7445 Morgan Road, Liverpool, N.Y. 13090.
__________________

.

ALS/MND Registry

.
BobbyB is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
Old 08-22-2008, 05:45 AM #503
BobbyB's Avatar
BobbyB BobbyB is offline
In Remembrance
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 4,609
15 yr Member
BobbyB BobbyB is offline
In Remembrance
BobbyB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 4,609
15 yr Member
Heart

Lou Gehrig's disease claims former sheriff's sergeant
THURSDAY, AUGUST 21, 2008


David F. Lamoree, 43, a former Jefferson County Sheriff's Department sergeant, died Wednesday from complications of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. He was with the department for 14 years and left duty July 12, 2001.

Lt. Michael Peterson, best friends with Mr. Lamoree since they were South Jefferson Central School District seventh-graders, said, "We have lost one of the finest police officers around."

"David handled the disease bravely and with dignity," he said. "No matter how ill he was, his first concerns were for his daughter, Hillary, and for the people around him, right up to the end. He never thought of himself, and kept his chin up."

Former Sheriff James L. Lafferty said Mr. Lamoree was "the epitome of what a sergeant should be. He was an excellent leader, a good family man, and totally dedicated to law enforcement."

Sheriff John P. Burns said Mr. Lamoree has "been missed since his retirement, which was a loss not only for the Sheriff's Department, but for the citizens of the county. He was an exemplary officer."



David F. Lamoree
THURSDAY, AUGUST 21, 2008
ADAMS — David F. Lamoree, 43, of 11756 Lyons Corners Road, died Wednesday morning at his home, where he had been under the care of his family and Hospice of Jefferson County. He died from complications of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, often referred to as Lou Gehrig's disease.

In June 1987, Mr. Lamoree was hired by sheriff Donald Newberry and worked as a correction's officer at the Jefferson County jail for a year. Following graduation from the police academy in 1989, he began road patrol. Mr. Lamoree was promoted to sergeant in September 1995. He retired from the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department in 2001, due to his illness.

Born Oct. 22, 1964, in Vicenza, Italy, son of Harry A. and Eileen D. Elmer Lamoree, he graduated from South Jefferson Central School in 1982, followed by Jefferson Community College in 1984 and SUNY Oswego in 1986.

He married Kelly M. Simpson, of Smithville, on Aug. 10, 1991, at St. Cecilia's Church with the Rev. Dennis Knight officiating. The couple has lived in Adams all of their married life.

Mr. Lamoree was a member of Smithville Baptist Church and Fraternal Order of Police. He was active in fundraising for Cystic Fibrosis and ALS, and enjoyed New York Yankees baseball, National Football League games, stock cars and hunting. He was a past board member of the Cystic Fibrosis Association.

Surviving besides his wife and parents, of Adams, are a daughter, Hillary E.; four sisters and their husbands, Sheila and Tony Davis, Oswego, Michelle and Kenneth Clark, Syracuse, Karen and Kurt Seitz, Auburn, and Kathy and Tom Tucker, Adams; 10 nieces and nephews.

The funeral will be 11 a.m. Saturday at Smithville Baptist Church with the Rev. Thomas W. Wilson officiating. Burial will be in Union Cemetery, Adams Center. Calling hours will be 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Friday at Piddock Funeral Home.

Donations may be made to Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, 7445 Morgan Road, Liverpool, N.Y. 13090.
__________________

.

ALS/MND Registry

.
BobbyB is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
Old 08-22-2008, 08:14 AM #504
BobbyB's Avatar
BobbyB BobbyB is offline
In Remembrance
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 4,609
15 yr Member
BobbyB BobbyB is offline
In Remembrance
BobbyB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 4,609
15 yr Member
Heart

MARILYN CAMACHO, 61
08/20/2008
Friday, August 22, 2008
Staten Island Advance
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Marilyn Camacho, 61, of Westerleigh, a former manager of the West Shore Inn, died Wednesday in Richmond University Medical Center of complications of Lou Gehrig's disease.

Born Marilyn Andersen in Port Richmond, she settled in Westerleigh in 1971.

A graduate of Port Richmond High School, Mrs. Camacho worked at the West Shore Inn in Travis for 25 years, starting as a bookkeeper and a waitress and ending as manager. She retired in 2003.

Mrs. Camacho was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), better known as Lou Gehrig's disease, in 2003. Despite being in a wheelchair, she never let it dampen her spirits, remained active and was frequently seen wheeling around the neighborhood visiting friends, her family said.

She was involved in many fundraisers benefiting the Muscular Dystrophy Association and appeared several times on the televised "Jerry's Kids" telethon.

An avid sports fan, Mrs. Camacho was a season ticket holder for the Jets and the Staten Island Yankees for several seasons, and was a fan of the big-league Yankees and hockey's Rangers. When her children were growing up, she never missed one of their sports games.

In her leisure time, Mrs. Camacho enjoyed traveling, especially to Fort Myers Beach in Florida.

"She just never gave up," said her husband, Anthony. "She was the most incredible person. She was committed to her life and to her children. Her disease never ever stopped her from going on.

Besides her husband, of 15 years, Mrs. Camacho is survived by a son, John Schwall; two daughters, Karen Mangam and Kristen Schwall-Sullivan, and a sister, Karen Brogna.

The funeral service will be tomorrow at 10 a.m. in the Casey Funeral Home, Castleton Corners. Burial will follow in Ocean View Cemetery, Oakwood.
__________________

.

ALS/MND Registry

.
BobbyB is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
Old 08-22-2008, 04:03 PM #505
BobbyB's Avatar
BobbyB BobbyB is offline
In Remembrance
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 4,609
15 yr Member
BobbyB BobbyB is offline
In Remembrance
BobbyB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 4,609
15 yr Member
Heart

Longtime prof C.W. Brister dies


Posted on Aug 21, 2008 | by Staff
FORT WORTH, Texas (BP)--C.W. Brister Jr., a pastoral ministry professor at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary from 1957 until his retirement in 2001, died Aug. 9 after a battle with Lou Gehrig's disease. He was 82.

Brister, who was named distinguished professor emeritus of pastoral ministry at Southwestern, was the father of Mark Brister, president of Oklahoma Baptist University from 1998-2007.

"He's truly one of the seminal thinkers in the area of pastoral care," George Gaston, a former student and faculty colleague at the Fort Worth campus, told the Dallas Morning News.

Gaston, now vice president for mission and ministry of Baptist Health System in San Antonio, said Brister may have taught pastoral care to more ministers than anyone, given his 45-year tenure at Southwestern, which is among the country's larger seminaries. "His classes were always full," Gaston said.

Brister authored more than a dozen books, including "Pastoral Care in the Church," which has been translated into several languages and used as a text at various schools throughout the world.

Southwestern's C.W. Brister Pastoral Ministry Award is given to the outstanding graduate in the school of theology each year in the field of pastoral ministry.

Among other books by Brister were "Change Happens: Finding Your Way Through Life's Transitions," "Dealing With Doubt," "Caring for the Caregivers," "Spiritual Wisdom for Successful Retirement" and "The Promise of Counseling."

Among those writing tributes for his memorial service were Rebekah Naylor, a longtime Southern Baptist missionary physician in India and daughter of the late Robert Naylor, a former president of Southwestern. Naylor noted that Brister played a key role in beginning a chaplaincy training program at the Baptist hospital in Bangalore, India, where she has served over the years. That program "has since trained scores of chaplains who have gone all over India. He was a partner in ministry and a great encourager. Knowing him was a blessing."

**** Lincoln, pastor of Shandon Baptist Church in Columbia, S.C., and a former student of Brister's, recounted, "When I arrived on Seminary Hill [SWBTS campus], I had been a Christian 11 months. One of the few classes available to me that summer session was Pastoral Care by C.W. Brister. Little did I know there was divine providence in the limited class schedule. He became a mentor and friend to me and my family that began in 1971 and ended only at his death. I do not believe I would have remained a Baptist minister nor understood people in the setting of the church as I do were it not for him. His friendship, prayers, love and affirmation have touched me deeply."

Mark Brister told Baptist Press Aug. 21, “I am profoundly grateful to God for allowing me the opportunity to be with my father throughout the closing months of his life on earth. I loved Dad. He loved me.”

Before joining Southwestern's faculty, Brister had served churches in Louisiana and Texas as pastor. During World War II, he was a warrant officer in the U.S. Maritime Service (now U.S. Coast Guard).

A native of Pineville, La., he was a graduate of Louisiana College there. He subsequently received a master of divinity degree from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and a Ph.D. from Southwestern.

In addition to his son, survivors include his wife Gloria and two grandsons.

A memorial service was held Aug. 16 at Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth, with burial in Pineville. The family requests that memorials be made to the Gloria and C.W. Brister Chair of Pastoral Ministry, Hardin-Simmons University, Box 16000, Abilene, TX 79698.
--30--
Compiled by Baptist Press editor Art Toalston.
__________________

.

ALS/MND Registry

.
BobbyB is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
Old 08-22-2008, 06:50 PM #506
BobbyB's Avatar
BobbyB BobbyB is offline
In Remembrance
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 4,609
15 yr Member
BobbyB BobbyB is offline
In Remembrance
BobbyB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 4,609
15 yr Member
Heart

West Linn resident loses battle with ALS
Posted by Cornelia Seigneur, Special to The Oregonian August 22, 2008 12:39PM
Categories: West Linn
Brian Hackney, a West Linn resident with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's disease) whose friends held fundraisers to help pay his medical bills, died Aug. 15. A celebration of his life was Aug. 21.

Survivors include his wife, Julie, and two daughters.

Donations may still be made to help the family. Checks should be made out to Good Deeds and mailed to Debbie Blair, CPA, 19464 Wilderness Drive, West Linn, OR 97068.

Contributions can also be made to the Hackney Family Benefit Fund at any Bank of America branch or the Hackney College Fund at any KeyBank branch.

For details, click here.

-- Cornelia Seigneur, Special to The Oregonian

http://blog.oregonlive.com/clackamas...ses_battl.html
__________________

.

ALS/MND Registry

.
BobbyB is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
Old 08-24-2008, 09:59 AM #507
k_lamoree99 k_lamoree99 is offline
New Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 1
15 yr Member
k_lamoree99 k_lamoree99 is offline
New Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 1
15 yr Member
Default Thank You.

I just found this website from Google My husband was David F. Lamoree. I am just curious as how you found the information other than David's obituary?? He was a fabulous man who fought hard and was a loving father and husband. He peacefully slipped away and went to be with the Lord in his sleep. God Bless You All, Kelly Lamoree

Quote:
Originally Posted by BobbyB View Post
Lou Gehrig's disease claims former sheriff's sergeant
THURSDAY, AUGUST 21, 2008


David F. Lamoree, 43, a former Jefferson County Sheriff's Department sergeant, died Wednesday from complications of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. He was with the department for 14 years and left duty July 12, 2001.

Lt. Michael Peterson, best friends with Mr. Lamoree since they were South Jefferson Central School District seventh-graders, said, "We have lost one of the finest police officers around."

"David handled the disease bravely and with dignity," he said. "No matter how ill he was, his first concerns were for his daughter, Hillary, and for the people around him, right up to the end. He never thought of himself, and kept his chin up."

Former Sheriff James L. Lafferty said Mr. Lamoree was "the epitome of what a sergeant should be. He was an excellent leader, a good family man, and totally dedicated to law enforcement."

Sheriff John P. Burns said Mr. Lamoree has "been missed since his retirement, which was a loss not only for the Sheriff's Department, but for the citizens of the county. He was an exemplary officer."



David F. Lamoree
THURSDAY, AUGUST 21, 2008
ADAMS — David F. Lamoree, 43, of 11756 Lyons Corners Road, died Wednesday morning at his home, where he had been under the care of his family and Hospice of Jefferson County. He died from complications of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, often referred to as Lou Gehrig's disease.

In June 1987, Mr. Lamoree was hired by sheriff Donald Newberry and worked as a correction's officer at the Jefferson County jail for a year. Following graduation from the police academy in 1989, he began road patrol. Mr. Lamoree was promoted to sergeant in September 1995. He retired from the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department in 2001, due to his illness.

Born Oct. 22, 1964, in Vicenza, Italy, son of Harry A. and Eileen D. Elmer Lamoree, he graduated from South Jefferson Central School in 1982, followed by Jefferson Community College in 1984 and SUNY Oswego in 1986.

He married Kelly M. Simpson, of Smithville, on Aug. 10, 1991, at St. Cecilia's Church with the Rev. Dennis Knight officiating. The couple has lived in Adams all of their married life.

Mr. Lamoree was a member of Smithville Baptist Church and Fraternal Order of Police. He was active in fundraising for Cystic Fibrosis and ALS, and enjoyed New York Yankees baseball, National Football League games, stock cars and hunting. He was a past board member of the Cystic Fibrosis Association.

Surviving besides his wife and parents, of Adams, are a daughter, Hillary E.; four sisters and their husbands, Sheila and Tony Davis, Oswego, Michelle and Kenneth Clark, Syracuse, Karen and Kurt Seitz, Auburn, and Kathy and Tom Tucker, Adams; 10 nieces and nephews.

The funeral will be 11 a.m. Saturday at Smithville Baptist Church with the Rev. Thomas W. Wilson officiating. Burial will be in Union Cemetery, Adams Center. Calling hours will be 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Friday at Piddock Funeral Home.

Donations may be made to Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, 7445 Morgan Road, Liverpool, N.Y. 13090.
k_lamoree99 is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
"Thanks for this!" says:
BobbyB (08-24-2008)
Old 08-24-2008, 12:51 PM #508
BobbyB's Avatar
BobbyB BobbyB is offline
In Remembrance
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 4,609
15 yr Member
BobbyB BobbyB is offline
In Remembrance
BobbyB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 4,609
15 yr Member
Ribbon

bless you kelly and my condolences to you.
i found this in a google search where i find most things. i did not know david but from reading about him he is now one of my heroes. i have the slow als, i was dx/94.
so i spend my time now helping others with als and raising awareness all that i can do from my puter at home.

my best to you kelly.
im here if you need me.

bobby brannigan
robertb@mitchell.main.nc.us
__________________

.

ALS/MND Registry

.
BobbyB is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
Old 08-24-2008, 09:43 PM #509
BobbyB's Avatar
BobbyB BobbyB is offline
In Remembrance
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 4,609
15 yr Member
BobbyB BobbyB is offline
In Remembrance
BobbyB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 4,609
15 yr Member
Heart

Clare Hindman
Click on an image for larger version.
Born: September 27, 1941
Died: August 24, 2008
Services: Tuesday, August 26, 2008 at 11:00 at Peachtree City Christian Church with the body placed in-state at 10:00
Visitation: Monday, August 25, 2008 from 5:00 until 8:00


Mrs. Clare Harris Hindman of Fairburn passed away August 24, 2008. She is survived by her husband, Earl Hindman of Fairburn; daughters, Dianna Morrow of Fayetteville; Cindy Harris of Fayetteville; sons, Ray Hindman of Bohn, Germany; Dwight Morrow and his wife Angie of Fairburn; Curtis Hindman and his wife Desirae of Fayetteville; brothers, Johnny Harris and his wife Eve of Cahttanooga; Ronald Harris and his wife Jane of Monroe; grandchildren, D.J. Morrow; Garrett Morrow; Heather Hindman; Victoria Harris and Hunter Morrow. Funeral services will be held Tuesday, August 26, 2008 at 11 o’clock at Peachtree City Christian Church with remains placed in-state at 10 o’clock. Dr. George Dillard, Rev. Bert McDade, Rev. Gerry Davis and Mr. Harold Simmons will be officiating. Interment will follow at Bethany United Methodist Church Cemetery. Those wishing may send an online condolence at www.parrottfunerlahome.com. In lieu of flowers those desiring may make donations to Peachtree City Christian Church Building Fund, 500 Kedron Drive, Peachtree City, GA 30269; Action of Faith Ministries, P.O. Box 1119, Fayetteville, GA 30214 or to Cystic Fibrosis (65 Roses), 6931 Arlington Rd., Bethesda, Maryland 20814. The family will receive friends Monday evening from 5:00 until 8:00 p.m. at Parrott Funeral Home, Fairburn. 770-964-4800.


/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Media Release and Funeral Arrangements for Clare Hindman
GODSPEED, CLARE. WE WERE GLAD TO KNOW YOU

Lois M. Speaker, Ph.D.
South Fulton and Fayette Community Task Force

This week, in the midst of all the necessary activities that fill your life, take a few moments to think prayerfully about what Clare Hindman's family and friends and neighbors are undergoing as they bid her goodbye and turn off the machinery. Think of Clare herself over the last two years, struggling to maintain her personhood and her identity as the symptoms of Lou Gehrig's disease (ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) ate relentlessly at her body, destroying her and all she held most dear. And think about why this terrible disease might have happened to Clare, one of the most gracious, loving and gentle of Southern ladies, who led an active, healthy lifestyle surrounded by adoring family. Consider that she might have died this frightful death chiefly because of where she lived, about half a mile from the so-called PSC "waste treatment" plant in south Fulton County. [See "Waste plant stirs up stink," Atlanta Journal Constitution Metro Section page 1, Sept. 15, 2006; also see numerous articles, editorials, blogs and broadcasts by Ben Nelms and others published in the Citizen newspaper and website between May 2006 and the present).

Anyone who smelled the rotten garlic odor two years ago was exposed to the chemical associated with it, an oranophosphorus (OP) pesticide called ethoprop. Scary as it may be, think of this happening to anyone among your own nearest and dearest. OP poisoning might have sidled into your household, eventually attacking in the form of ALS, other nervous system damage, cancer or any of a huge variety of the ills that flesh is heir to. The rate of disease development may be slow – many cancers don't show up for several years – but it is inexorable. Clare's ALS was atypical in many ways, increasing the suspicion that its cause was unique. It worsened unusually fast, very rapidly taking away her speech, her ability to swallow, her independence at every level. But every morning for as long as she could, says her daughter Cindy, "Mama got up in the morning and made herself pretty for the day." Her usual outing with her husband was lunch at Chick-Fil-A in Peachtree City, where the staff would grind up her favorite menu and Earl would feed it to her through a tube.

Why do I insist on telling you such unpleasant things, describing ugly and threatening conditions that could destroy your serenity? Why should you react to the illness and death of Clare Hindman with a more generous passion than you usually feel at the death of a stranger? After all, we can't yet prove beyond the shadow of a doubt (although experts in the field have been making great strides) that Clare's ALS was caused by the OP-laden air that pooled around her home every day for monthsBecause Clare was our neighbor, a friend to some of us, and because many of us were exposed to the same poison that she ingested.

. Nevertheless, we can show you long lists of others who also detected the horrendous odor and claim they were made ill by whatever was causing the odor and that many of their pets died because of it. A statistical research team from the respected Veterinary School of a large midwestern university, analyzing data from pet clinics associated with a large chain of pet supply stores, found increased incidence of respiratory problems and eye inflammation in a 20-mile radius around the PSC plant during the period over which ethoprop was released. Does anyone seriously question whether the Tokyo subway deaths of several years ago were caused by Sarin (a "nerve gas" chemically related to PSC's MOCAP "waste?") If so, the Japanese system of justice was grossly mistaken in convicting and punishing those who were found to be responsible.

Who is ultimately responsible for fixing these problems? We are! Only we can vote into office the men and women who will institute legislation to protect us. In particular, Georgia governing officials at all levels must establish control over our rapidly cascading "real estate development" and its inevitable accompanying issues of waste creation and management. Not tomorrow, but NOW! Our present uncontrolled situation allows such grotesqueries as whipping up froths and fogs of pesticide-loaded mixtures and distributing them for months at a time over hundreds of square miles of formerly pristine countryside (the PSC "incident"); and, building new homes near Old National Highway virtually to the lip of active granite quarries. Routine blasting by Vulcan Materials not only destroys the fabric of the homes but also creates an atmosphere laden with granite particles that can cause mesothelioma, an incurable lung condition

We all should care about Clare's death because she was a fine human being who probably would have enjoyed many more years of fulfilling life if PSC had been forbidden to repeatedly contaminate her environment with a material that is known to be so dangerous that a group of Nicaraguan banana workers recently was awarded $7million. The court agreed that ethoprop had rendered these men sterile. We should care about Clare's death because it may well mirror our own exposures to dangerous materials it the environment. We should care about Clare's death because it is a warning: "Take care," she tells us in effect, "be very aware of what you are ingesting from the water, the earth, the air, and what it may do to your body and, especially to your children's bodies, because they get higher doses of all environmental contaminants. Take responsibility. If you don't, who will? And when?"

The environmental regulations in this state are pitiable, formulated in the mistaken and outdated notion that the best way to draw industry here is to offer "laizzez faire" across the board. For all practical purposes, Georgia's industry can do whatever they want with whatever material they want, no holds barred and no matter who gets hurt. " Compliance" is a joke We require a new agency that understands and strongly enforces the proper management and disposal of reactants, products and waste materials, a capability that EPD does not have. We Georgians must elect educated officials who understand the importance of "cradle to grave" management of materials in a new era of environmental responsibility. If she could, Clare Hindman would tell us that we need legislation to keep us from being a garbage can for more forward-thinking states like Alabama. She was a lovely lady, and she is missed.






FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS ARE AS FOLLOWS:


EVENING VISITATION 5-8PM - MONDAY AUGUST 25 - PARROT FUNERAL HOME - http://www.parrottfuneralhome.com/


FUNERAL SERVICE - 11AM - TUESDAY AUGUST 26 - PEACHTREE CITY CHRISTIAN CHURCH - http://www.ptcchristian.com/


GRAVESIDE SERVICE FOLLOWING FUNERAL SERVICE - BETHANY UNITED METHODIST - http://www.gbgm-umc.org/bethany-fayetteville/


(The family has requested that in lieu of flowers please give to these organizations that were near and dear to Clare's heart - Peachtree City Christian Church http://www.ptcchristian.com/ - Action of Faith Ministries http://aofministries.org/ - Cystic Fibrosis Foundation http://www.cff.org/ )
__________________

.

ALS/MND Registry

.
BobbyB is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
Old 08-28-2008, 06:45 AM #510
BobbyB's Avatar
BobbyB BobbyB is offline
In Remembrance
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 4,609
15 yr Member
BobbyB BobbyB is offline
In Remembrance
BobbyB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 4,609
15 yr Member
Heart

'A man of great courage'
Hundreds gather to honour Terry Gray
Posted By PATRICK KENNEDY WHIG-STANDARD SPORTS REPORTER



The crowd of mourners came from far and wide, jamming the spacious banquet hall at the Strathcona Paper Centre. Condolers occupied 450 chairs and were flanked by two lines of standees. At the back, more lamenters stood six deep while those unable to squeeze inside repaired to an outside patio outfitted with speakers.

"How many people in there?" rink employee Doug Gallagher is asked.

"Depends on who's asking," he replied warily. "Are you from the fire department?"

Assured the inquisitor was there to commiserate, not investigate, Gallagher came clean.

"We've probably got more people in there than we're supposed to have, but you have to understand this is a special night. We're honouring a true friend of the town."

That was as fitting a description of Terry Gray as any that made the rounds at last night's celebration of life.

Gray, 44, died last week, ending a courageous battle with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, a. k. a. Lou Gehrig's Disease.

"He played the game of life the same way he played sports, with great enthusiasm, splendid teamwork and always with an eye to communicating his love to all who knew him," Rev. Burry Wiseman of Trinity United Church told the large gathering.

Wiseman, a newcomer to Napanee, did not know Gray, but heard more than enough about him to realize here was someone special.

"He was undoubtedly a man of great courage, the way he held on and remained upbeat," the reverend told a reporter beforehand. "You can tell by the size of this crowd the amount of respect people held for Terry."

Gray was among the more popular and passionate sportsmen in Napanee history. Hunter, angler, athlete, raconteur, joker, definitive teammate. He played several sports and excelled at hockey and fastball, which he later coached with unrestrained joy.

"I have so many wonderful memories of Terry it's hard to single one out," said his father Karl, a bull-strong, squat farmer with fingers the size of cohiba cigars. "Many times I had wet eyes I was so proud of him."

Gray was a steady infielder on several blue-chip Napanee teams through the years. His clubs captured a number of provincial titles beginning with a 1974 squirt crown, the town's first Ontario championship since the old Micmac teams of the early '60s. His last provincial title as a player came in 1982, the same year right-winger Gray copped a U. S. national junior college hockey crown with Canton College.



Overall, TG, as he was known, appeared in a dozen national fast-pitch playdowns as a player or coach. His teams won two national pennants and was runnerup twice. In 1998, he was named top coach at the world championship tournament in Kansas, leading Napanee to a silver medal.

He coached the Ontario team to a gold medal at the 1989 Canada Summer Games in Saskatoon.

His last coaching stint was in 2005, months after he was diagnosed with ALS. He helped guide a Napanee Express peewee boys squad to the gold medal at the Eastern Canadians. By Christmas of that year, he was already in a wheelchair.

"I could sit around and mope about it, but what's the sense in that?" the amiable Gray told a Whig-Standard wag in 2005, publically disclosing his illness.

Earlier this month, Gray, replying to a friend's e-mail, summed up his dilemma. "I know my plan. I accept it and don't question it. But I don't like it."

Longtime friend Chuck Airhart said a visit from Gray often meant one's funny bone was about to be liberally massaged.

"No matter how your day was going, you knew once Terry pulled up to your door, you were going to be laughing about something."

Gray's forte was coaching and few expended more effort and energy.

"Coaching was a natural progression for him," said Bill Creighton. "He was a tremendous inspiration for younger players and had an ability to see strengths and weaknesses, then taught and coached accordingly."

A couple of years ago, he and the late Richard Dickson, two men with different, but ultimately terminal diseases, formed the Dickson/Gray Sports Association of Greater Napanee. It's mandate is three-fold: Scholarships, facility improvement and financial support for local teams.

Former Queen's Golden Gaels coach Chris MacDonald called Gray "the most selfless guy I've known.

"He's the poster guy for everything that's right about sports and what a role model should be like."

Last Friday, surrounded by family members at his parents home on Little Creek Road, Gray passed away quietly, ending a valiant four-year struggle with ALS

"He went so peacefully I didn't know he was gone," recalled his snow-haired mother, Donna. "He was right with us, telling us what to do right to the end."

It was, added Gray's only sibling, younger sister Kellianne, as if he was "getting everything in place."

His mother said she was exceedingly proud of her son's penchant for hard work and helping out where needed.

"He was an entrepreneur, always looking for different ways to make money," she pointed out, recalling the crayfish business her son opened at the ripe age of seven.

"One of the nicest things I'll remember is that he never once raised his voice to me. To any mother, that's comforting.

"He was my boy," she added. "He was conscientious, a hard worker and loyal. He wasn't perfect, but he was my boy."

He was, as the rink attendant noted, a true friend of the town.

http://www.thewhig.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1175696
__________________

.

ALS/MND Registry

.
BobbyB is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
In Remembrance of BobbyB Paul Wicks ALS 29 12-19-2010 11:53 AM
Remembrance Day Hockey Social Chat 0 11-11-2009 08:09 AM
In remembrance of my Grandmother Brokenfriend ALS 1 12-16-2008 09:05 AM


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 10:46 AM.

Powered by vBulletin • Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.

vBulletin Optimisation provided by vB Optimise v2.7.1 (Lite) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2024 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.
 

NeuroTalk Forums

Helping support those with neurological and related conditions.

 

The material on this site is for informational purposes only,
and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment
provided by a qualified health care provider.


Always consult your doctor before trying anything you read here.