The Wingham Advance-Times, 1984-03-26, Page 316.2
HOPE Page 2
Karen's Iegacy of hope lives on in family
, _
B V E T „' At that time Karen's specialists told the treatment, the Clarks were fortunate
ARB..w Clarks it did not matter when the disease enough to have family iri London with whom
It has been almost five years since Karen , u was detected. But today the tide has turned: they could stay. But for others who must
Clark died, just three weeks short of her 10th early detection is the key to fighting any travel long distances, the city can be a cold
birthday. But Karen's legacy of HOPE that form of cancer. and expensive place.
a cure for cancer will be found lives on in
. n - New diagnostic techniques also help in Ronald McDonald Houses are. homes
her parents and friends pointing the type of leukemia a person is suf- away from home for children taking cancer
Today, Janet Clark of Wingham is able to fetingfrom more quickly, enabling
put her life and her daughter's life into q ckly, thus treatments and their families. Over 50 such
perspective. And to Karen's memory, doctors to begin suitable treatment sooner. homes are located across the United States
her mother .now-fitrue to make life eaeier for Bone marrow transplants from donors and Canada. They provide professional care
the victims of childhood acne, and their and from the patients themselves are being in a home setting, close to the hospital and
families. attempted more frequently and with en- ata minimal cost.
June of 1977 was a busy time for the Clark couraging results. The most revolutionary The London Ronald McDonald House will
development in this field is taking the bone
family. In addition to wrapping up her � 4 3 .' a; marrow of a pati tin remission and then have 11 bedrooms and cost in the
school year at the Wingham Public School,y` h Z
freezing it for,fut use if the person has a neighborhood of $900,000. But Mrs. Clark is
'> to" , s g lira .confident the CCRA can raise the
Karen's aunt was being married in Londonmoney
that month, s yds relapse, thus a ting the possibiltiy of with the help of its dedicated volunteers and
�F z�X the body rejecting the marrow. the house should be standing next June at
So the familytraveled to London for the a � fr
wedding. During the whirlwind of picture r` k L ` ' To ensure ther are no cancer cells linger- the - Westminster campus of Victoria
taking, Mrs. Clark said she remembered Js '� �` in intechniqueHospital.
�; �, g the bone marrow, anew Hos
looking at her daughter and saying to called"mopping the marrow
y uP . putsAnother project Mrs. Clark recently has
herself, "My, she needs a blood r q� y f� though a cell sorter which shines a lazer
fes" � x °�� become involved with is the formation of a
transfusion,"because Karen looked so pale beam onto each single cell. The way, the
and fatigued. �� • - � �* � palliative care unit at the Goderich hospital �a: cancer cells can be located and removed. and possibl at , hospitals throughout P
Even after the festivities were over and f"'F These new developments open up tremen- area. y P ghout the
Karen was back home, she was still pale and dour possibilities for leukemia sufferers
listless. One da ,her mother said, she took . Palliative care units use ' trained
y fs,yearsg. 'volunteers to offer counselling dolls outside to play and fell asleep on which were unheard of even five ao
_ and support
the steps.Janet Clark... QUIET COURAGE to others in the event. of the death of a
The Clarks noted the change in 's viour and soon had her scheduled to see9 Throughout her illness Karen Clark was parent, child or spouse. Mrs. Clark has Ion-
a doctor After seeing the child, the doctor true to Karen s memory an ideal patient, never complaining and counselling, focusing on the death -of s on bereavement
child.t
ordered blood tests and a bone marrow 1974 as a moral and personal support system displaying a• quiet strength that carried her A survey • is underway currently
h rspots. throughout
u
throgthe rough count. for its members. Soon the Clarks became in- and her family Huron County to assess the need
Karen became an example of hope and for palliative care units at hospitals in
Within several hours of that first doctor's volved as well.-
visit, he called Mrs. Clark and her husband courage when she was featured in a CBC Huron and if that survey indicates the need
Karen Art to his office and delivered the crushing of treatmentsnded well to and went mtober initial round
recnission from "Fifth Estate" documentary on children exists, Mrs. Clark is likely to be conducting
news: Karen had leukemia and was disease She returned to school in the fall and cancer four years . ago. The program more workshops in the near future.
thescheduled to start treatment in London fin- was filmed while Karen was undergoing In addition to her involvement with the
of 1977 and led a relatively normal life until
treatments in London and it featured three CCRA, Ronald McDonald House and
mediately. ' December 1978 when she relapsed.
Mrs. Clark said they were stunned by the other young cancer patients. bereavement counselling, Mrs. Clark also is
news, partly because everything happened This time Karen was given intensive It is this fortitude that has spurred her a volunteer at the Wingham Public School
so fast (a week and a half) and because peo- chemotherapy treatments and went into parents on to helping others cope with and a member of the United Church Women.
ple just don't associate children with remission again, but it proved short-lived. 'similar situations. ' Her husband is a representative_ on the
cancer. In April of 1979, Karen relapsed and she' Huron County Board of Education and runs
But children do get cancer as they quickly never went into remission again. She died The Clarks still are heavily involved in the a Wingham engineering firm. Their son
learned at London where they met other quietly at home in July of that year. CCRA. The group's latest project, and a Paul is in Grade 7 at the Wingham Public
.parents with children undergoing longtime dream of Mrs. Clark's, looks like it School.
aaF.�r3ie-apy_aaa__eA•..- w.,.,._.__aStlts.�ka I='�a'9nCAILL_ZRac' '+a.U�'0a aga.abeemrnP,-a-E�aiiu_nP�cfr moi' ggAF.h-the-r'€n-ae--:*'?em9r y :;iTth: 7dat11gi'itei'_'15-sti
fact, the parents of a group of cancer- Medical science has made great strides in draising kickoff • March 4 for a Ronald strong and will be always. In helping others,
stricken children had formed the Childhood the fight against leukemia since Karen was McDonald House in London. ' . they are being true to that memory and
Cancer Research Association (CCRA) in diagnosed seven years ago. ' , While Karen was undergoing cancer fulfilling her legacy of hope.
What is .the Childhood Cancer Research Association?
The Childhood Cancer Research
Association is a Canadian registered
charitable organization and is separate
from the Canadian Cancer Society.
It originated in 1974 as the result of the
efforts of some concerned parents. Its aims
are many:
1. To provide moral and personal support
to any individual or family touched by
childhood cancer;
2. To prepare and present to public or
private groups, educational information
concerning childhood 'cancer;
3. To raise funds for research in the field
of childhood cancer;
4. To co-operate with similar groups,
associations, or authorities in connection
with childhood cancer;
5. To hold regular meetings to exchange
information, opinions, and experiences
related to childhood cancer.
All money received by the Association is
retained for local research and research
support.
"Research" includes laboratory research
at several London hospitals and the
University of Western Ontario as well as' interested groups about CCRA and
psychosocial research in connection with childhood cancer. A growing library of
childhood cancer; research that affects the
daily care of our children.
To date, funds have been used to purchase
equipment for 'research and to create
research positions which the hospital has
been unable to support. Medical staff are
also sent to various centres in North
America periodically to keep up to dateon
the newest procedures and developments.
Since the Association is comprised totally of
volunteers, administrative costs remain
less than five percent of the total budget.
Members are available to speak to
written information is available.
CCRA has helped in several films about
childhood cancer and hopes that through
this, and other media, it can increase public
awareness about childhood cancer, and the
,,need to support its victims.
Tell others about CCRA. Spread the word
that yes, kids can get cancer. Some day,
through the interest, generosity, and hard
work of individuals like you, the secret of
childhood cancer will be uncovered. Won't
you,be proud to have helped?
Cancer volpnteer living proof cancer not always fatal
Editor's Note: The following story about
Joy. Robinson appeared in the Windsor Star
in February. It was written by medical
reporter Paul McKeague.
Joy is the granddaughter of Manley and
Iola- Robinson' of Goderich. She is presently
an active high school student and
cheerleader enjoying good health.
Mr. and Mrs. Robinson felt that sharing
their granddaughter's story would give
HOPE to others who may need it.
Joy Robinson's neck was sore and she was
rubbing it in class one day in September of
1980 when she felt a large lump.
The Amherstburg girl, who was only 11
years old at the time, recalls how she was
taken to hospital and how shortly afterward
she learned to her fright, confusion and
anger that she had cancer.
"I had associated the word with death,"
said Joy, who is now 15. "I was thinking
what did I ever do to deserve this. I was so
young."
This information is brought to you with the kind co-operation of the following:
K_harmacy
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Joy fled Hodgkins Disease, a cancer of the
lymphatic system. But the disease has been
in remission for two years and Joy now feels
she can help other youngsters who are
suffering as she did. -
"There are a lot of kids who get sick and
it's a tragedy and nobody can understand
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