Clinton News-Record, 1987-10-28, Page 11
NO. 43
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1987
Organ donation is ultimate example
of charity, volunteers told at dinner
CLINTON - "Organ donation is the
ultimate example of charity", guest
speaker Bill Brady told the volunteers atten-
ding the annual Appreciation Dinner of the
Huron chapter of the Ontario Heart and
Stroke Foundation.
The well-known broadcaster, a director of
the Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation,
a member of the executive committee of the
John P. Robarts Research Institute, and
vice-chairman of the board of directors of
University Hospital, related the story
behind the latest heart transplant at.
University.
On October 18 a young girl was pronounc-
ed brain-dead after a rearend collision in
Vancouver. Her family asked the doctors
what they could do to ensure that their
daughter's death was not in vain.
Meanwhile, a 52 -year-old man had been
flown to London after a virus had moved to
the wall of his heart, causing ideopathic car-
diac myopathy. The man was slowly slipp-
ing away.
A Challenger jet left Vancouver in the ear-
ly hours of Wednesday morning, bringing a
strong, 19 -year-old heart to London. At 10
a.m. the Newfoundlander had a new lease
on life.
Before the funeral of the Vancouver girl
took place, her heart was beating in another
chest.
"The man will live to be a productive
citizen, to see his children grow. In Van-
couver a little girl is gone, but part of her
lives on in someone else", Brady said, ad-
ding that donating one's organs after death
is "a way of becoming immortal".
Brady also mentioned some of the
research going on at the Robarts Institute.
The scientists are committed to finding the
answer to the devastating effects of the
"long nightmare" of Alzheimers, the killing
and maiming of diabetes melitis, the genetic
predisposition to strokes that hit in mid-life,
and other illnesses that rob and destroy.
A recent grant from the National Institute
of Health in Washington of $16.5 -million in
American dollars will be a big help in look-
ing for those answers.
Brady, himself a stellar example of so-
meone who donates many hours totauses he
believes in, commended the men and
women who work for the Heart and Stroke
Hi, ART
AND STROKE
FOUNDATION
L01 ONIA11K7
There was a great turnout when the Huron County Chapter of the Heartand Stroke Foun-
dation of Ontario held their annual appreciation dinner at Huronview on October 21.
While Don Young (standing) prepared to make a presentation, the chapter's president,
Barney Goldsmith, and past -president, Stan Connelly, looked on. Mr. Young was prepar-
ing to present representatives from F. E. Madill High School with a trophy for raising
over $10,000 in the Jump Rope For Heart Program. As chairman of the Jump Rope com-
mittee, Mr. Young was honored earlier this year with the Foundatfau's Distinguished
Service Award. (David Emslie photo 1
Foundation. He said volunteers are "the
heart and soul" of the Foundation.
"Being a volunteer is painless, and what
you do comes back one hundred fold",
Brady said.
Incoming president Byron "Barney"
Goldsmith singled out volunteer Don Young
for special praise. Young was one of two On-
tario residents to be honored with a
distinguished service award for his dedica-
tion to the Jump Rope for Heart program.
Young in turn presented the represen-
tatives from the F.E. Madill Secondary.,
School in Wingham with a trophy, declaring
them the winners of a challenge competition
announced in the fall of 1986. Over half the
school's population enrolled in the program.
Huron County continues to lead the pro-
vince in the percentage of secondary schools
taking part in the Jump Rope for Heart
program.
Arnold and Verna Taylor, Wingham, were
presented with lifesaver awards. Using
techniques learned in a class taught by
chapter secretary Deborah Karcz-Howes,
they were able to save the life of a man
choking to death at his twenty-fifth anniver-
sary party.
° This year the Huron Coitllfy chapter rais-
ed $59,526, up 19 per cent from the previous
year.
Members wanted for
Klompen Feest Board
By Anne Chisholm
CLINTON - The town's annual Klompen Feest has become too big for a
small group of people to run each year, therefore, local service clubs,
organizations, community groups and interested individuals are being
asked to sit on a board of management.
"Since its inception, a small group of dedicated people have worked
diligently to produce this annual May happening with great success.
However, it has become very apparent since the committee decided to ex-
pand from the original Dutch theme, to one that embraces all our local
cultures, that the event is growing too large to be administered by a small
group of people if it is to survive and enlarge," noted Mayor John Balfour
in a letter that was sent to local organizations.
"At present, the new board will be able to start with many benefits not
usually available to new organizations such as: money in the bank, equip-
ment which has been paid for from past events and experienced help who
have offered to serve for one year as advisors to the new group," he con-
tinued.
The mayor went on to say that other communities have expressed a
desire to host the event, should Clinton not find enough board members.
The deadline for interested people or groups to apply has been set at
November 20. Those interested should contact the Clinton Town Hall or
Clarence Denomme prior to this date.
An organizational meeting has been set for November 25 at 8 p.m. in the
town hall.
Free wheel chair clinic o
CLINTON - Once again, the Huron Centre
For The Homebound is hosting a wheel
chair clinic, offering free inspection and
cleaning, on November 14 from 9 a.m. to 5
p•m•
According to co-ordinator Rosemary
Armstrong, all small repairs will be paid for
by the Centre. For larger repairs, there will
be a March Of Dimes representative on
Fashion show
ered
hand to provide an estimate and offer any
advice that may be needed.
All those wishing to attend the free clinic
must make an appointment. This can .be
done by phoning Mrs. Armstrong at
482-7943.
Also on display that day will be special
aids for the handicapped. This display will
include up-to-date devices.
to heighten
epilepsy awareness
A fashion show to heighten the public's
awareness of epilepsy is once again being
planned by the Huron -Perth Epilepsy
Chapter.
This year, Dr. John Girvin, professor and
chairman of the University of Western On-
tario's department of clinical neuological
sciences and co-director of the epilepsy unit
at University Hospital, will be the special
guest.
Dr. Girvin has operated on many people
who have had epilepsy and have given them
a life that is seizure free. To name two such
people locally, Kathy Bromley of Blyth and
Rob Baker of Hensall could be used as
examples.
Mrs. Bromely has been seizure free since
her operation and Mr. Baker has been
seizure free and is now able to drive a car.
These two people will be models in the
fashion show.
Other people involved in this year's
fashion show will be Judge John McGarry of
Public health care growing in significance
By Patrick Raftis
If an ounce of prevention is worth a
pound of cure, then Dr. Maarten Bokhout,
Huron County's new Medical Officer of
Health, is steering the Huron County
Health Unit in the right direction. Bokhout
believes prevention is the key to an effec-
tive public health system.
"If a problem can be prevented from oc-
curring, it saves a lot of pain and suffering
and trouble later," he said.
Cost, says Bokhout, is a key factor in the
need to place the emphasis on health
education and disease prevention.
"The problem is that the new technology
that is available now and the new drugs
that are available now are very expensive
and the cost of providing that kind of care
has increased astronomically," he ex-
plains, adding that neither the govern-
ment, nor private citizens can any longer
afford to foot the bill for increasing
medical costs.
"Public health care provides a different
approach and part of the reason public
health is becoming so important is that it is
getting so darn expensive to cure problems
at the other end."
Wider access to health education and
promotion of public health programs,
Bokhout believes. are the best solution to
the problem.
STARTED SEPTEMBER 14
Bokhout took over the MOH position as
of Sept. 14, replacing Dr. James
McGregor, of Wingham, who was Acting
MOH for more than a year, in the wake of
the resignation of former MOH Dr. Hasty
Cieslar, of Goderich. •
Bokhout was born in Gouda, in The
Netherlands and came to Canada with his
family w 1957 when he was five -years -old.
He lived for a short time in Ottawa, before
moving to the Kingston area, until moving
to Toronto, where he lived from 1965 to
1980.
He enrolled in the University of Toronto
in 1970 and entered medical school in 1972,
graduating in 1977 after taking some time
off during his fourth year to work as a
sheet metal worker. He worked as a
general practitioner in the Toronto area
from June 1979 to March 1980.
From• March 1980 to June 1983, he was
District Health Officer for the Grenfell
Health Service in Northern Newfoundland.
As the only doctor covering a 2,000 square
mile area, Bokhout was "primary care
physician and consultant," for about 8,000
people, a job now handled by three
physicians.
He returned to Toronto to study Public
Health at the University of Toronto until
June, 1985, when he completed his residen-
cy in community medicine. Then it was
back to Grenfell, where he was MOH from
August, 1985 until August 1987, when he
MAARTEN BOKHOI'T
HURON COUNTY MEDICAI,
OFFICER OF HEALTH
returned to Ontario to take the Huron
County position.
He now resides in Clinton, with his wife
Helena McShane and their four daughters,
Rachel, 7; Jessica, 5; Stephanie, 3 and
Sarah Louise, 20 months.
VARIED ROLES
Defining the role of the MOH, is not
something which can be done in a few
sentences. It is a complex position requir-
ing the physician to wear a variety of hats.
Bokhout has divided the role into six areas.
Administration of the county Health
Unit, is a major role. "I'm the ad-
ministrator of the Health Unit. I'm like the
Chief Executive Officer," Bokhout
explained.
The MOH is also the chief liason between
the unit, the public, the county health
board and the Ministry of Health.
"I have a fair bit to say about how we
relate to the public — wave the flag of
public health, so to speak".
Relating health unit activity to the
Huron County Board of Health and, in-
directly, to county council, is also part of
Bokhout's job.
"If the health unit has an idea, it's up to
1
me to see that the idea is presented to the
board of health and, ultimately, to county
council," he explained.
Also, "the Ministry of Health provides a
lot of dollars to keep this thing ( public
health system 1 going and they want to
know what's happening," he said.
The third area of duty for Bokhout, is
that of policy maker. "It's up to me to seek
new ideas and hopefully generate some of
my own".
new One -Stop Access program is a one of
the major areas of development in the field
of home care, Bokhout said.
The Huron County Addiction Referral
and Resource Centre is another key pro-
ject.
"We hope to improve services available
to help residents of Huron County get over
problems with substance abuse".
Bokhout says internal problems
are in the health unit's past
Research is a fourth area in which
Bokhout plans to be involved, although
with only five -and -a -half weeks on the job,
it is one he has not yet been able to devote
much time to.
Bokhout also sees himself as a "support
person for the staff".
"I'd like to think I can make things hap-
pen and provide staff with the information
they need to carry on".
The sixth role is one Bokhout would
prefer not to bring into play — that of
"policeman," on health matters.
"I have, under the Health Protection and
Promotion Act, the authority to enforce
the act in this county. In my view, it is a
last resort. I don't like to see myself as a
policeman," he said.
GETTING HANDS DIRTY
One example of a situation, where
Bokhout's "enforcer" role would be
necessary, is in the case of violation of
public health regulations.
"In a situation where certain regulations
were being violated, say by food handlers,
then 1 have to decide on the question of
whether to lay charges," he explained.
In most such cases, preliminary in-
vestigations would be done by inspectors,
but the final decision would remain with
Bokhout.
"However, if something were very big,
or very sensitive, then I would certainly
get my hands dirty and have a look at that
myself," Bokhout said.
MAJOR CONCERNS
Despite his short time on the job,
Bokhout has already defined several areas
of major concern to which he will devote
much of his time.
One is the county's Homecare Program,
which is constantly being expanded, with
millions of dollars being spent.
"I'11 be looking at how best that money
can he spent," he said. Planning for the
"The third thing I see looming is Aquired
Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS).
It's not a major health concern in the coun-
ty at this time, but it's such a devastating
problem across Canada that we have to be
concerned about it."
With only two confirmed cases of people
contracting the disease in Huron County
both victims have died ), "and at most one
other person in Huron County that has
been exposed to it." Bokhout is optimistic
about avoiding an AIDS outbreak here.
"It's pretty encouraging, at least based
on the information we have at the present
time. The disease is not a major problem
in the county and I'd like to keep it that
way," said Bokhout.
UNDER CONTROL
Bokhout thinks the Health Unit's inter-
nal problems, which instigated the
resignation of Dr. Cieslar, are behind
them.
Cieslar resigned in June, 1986, over
alleged interference from county ad-
ministration in the operation of the unit. In
April, 1987 about 50 Health Unit staff
members, went public with concerns
about the situation at a Huron County
Board of Health meeting.
Bokhout feels the resulting internal tur-
moil has "cleared up," in the meantime.
The improvement in the situation,
"speaks very much for the positive at-
titude of the staff here," he said.
"The Acting MOH Dr. James McGregor
also deserves a great deal of credit for br-
inging things under control," he added.
Having things "under control," at the
health unit is essential, at a time when
Bokhout feels the role of public health pro-
fessionals is becoming increasingly vital.
"Public health care plays an important
role (in today's society) and in all pro-
bability, its importance will increase,"
Bokhout said.
1
London and St. Thomas, Chairman of
Epilepsy Midwest and Huron Perth and
Bruce; Dr. David Parratt of Stratford who
is a member of the epilepsy board; Dr.
Derek Pearce of Goderich who will model;
Dr. Mario Cauchi of Goderich who will give
the introduction; Clinton Reeve Bee Cooke
who will model; Clinton's Fire Chief Fred
Lobb who will model again this year.
Other models include professional model
Maggie Hill, Mrs. L. Cauchi; Peggy Jones,
Tracy Boyce, Eleanor Ritchie, Suanne
Smith, Karen DeJong, Paula I,evielle, Betty
Etue, Daphne Davidson, Bruce Schoenals
and George Nargang.
Participating stores are The Old Mill of
Blyth; Gentlemen's Choice, Exeter; No Kid-
ding, Clinton; Cookes Florist, Clinton;
Alouette and Les Ciseaux.
Tickets are available from Marj Vere,
482-9489; Fred Lobb, 482-3409 or 482-3321 or
by phoning 1-800-265-5509 and leaving your
name and the number of tickets you want.
CLINTON PUBLIC
HOSPITAL
BUILDING FUND