Newspaper Page Text
• Wednesday, April 6,1994 "H0u5t0n Times-Journal
Page 10A
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Perry Middle School eighth graders Curtis Flournoy (far left) and Rosalyn Nunez and Katie
Stephens (far right) were among the thousands of area students who attended last week’s teen
health forum. Here, the three pose with Kathy Smith of the Peachbelt Medical Alliance, event
sponsors, and emcee Mary Therese Sikes of 99 Ways Radio (center).
Houston teens moved by health forum
BY BRENDA THOMPSON
Staff Writer
Although it’s true that they were
required to be there, the 1,500
teenagers that attended a teen health
forum at the Georgia National
Fairgrounds and Agricenter
Thursday morning weren’t required
to be so moved by the event.
They weren’t required to shed
tears at the moving stories of
Richard Gallaspie of Decatur, a
man who has been wheelchair
bound since a drinking and driving
accident left him paralyzed 16 years
ago at the young age of 19, or
Kathryn Harris, a student at Paine
College in Augusta, who spoke
about teen pregnancies with a
realistic flair.
And, they weren’t required to
award any of the speakers their
undivided attentions or to give them
standing ovations.
But, they did!
Sponsored by the Peachbelt
Medical Society and its Alliance
and appropriately dubbed the “It’s
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Up To Youth” Teen Health Forum,
Thursday’s event was the third of
its kind in as many years. It was at
tended by eighth graders from not
only all of Houston County five
public middle schools, but also by
many of their peers from Sacred
Heart and the Bleckley County
school system.
Topics covered at the event in
cluded teen sexuality, alcohol and
drug abuse, emotional disorders,
teen abuse and victimization and
violence and crime-the very five ar
eas of concern that have made ado
lescents the only segment of to
day’s society whose health has not
improved in the last 30 years, ac
cording to the sponsoring group.
Presiding over the event was
Mistress of Ceremonies, Mary
Therese Sikes, radio disc jockey and
public service director for 99
WAYS and WMAZ AM 940.
Sikes shared the stage with Mrs.
Kim Sanders, President of the
Peachbelt Medical Alliance; Tony
It’s Prom, Time
At
Edwards-
Harper
For Best Selection
Come In Now!
Hinnant, Superintendent of Hous
ton County Schools; Dr. Harold P.
Katner, the chief of Infections Dis
ease and Associate Professor of In
ternal Medicine at Mercer Univer
sity’s School of Medicine; Frank
Simons, Perry Police Chief; as
well as Richard Gallaspie of the
Arrive Alive Program and performer
Kathryn Harris.
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Y 7,
Perry resident awaits lung transplant
By PAULINE LEWIS
Staff Wrltar
“Don’t take your organs to
Heaven.... Heaven knows we need
them here!”
Thus goes the slogan of the trans
plant program of the University of
North Carolina Hospital at Chapel
Hill, where Perry resident Wanda
Williamson is awaiting a lung
transplant.
Wanda has Alpha I Anti-Trypsin
Deficiency, a genetic disease for
which there is no cure.
First diagnosed as having adult on
set asthma, she tested positive for
Alpha I Anti-Trypsin Deficiency in
1987. Since that time, she has
been on medication that puts an en
zyme into her system that her body
does not produce.
A resident of Perry since the age
of 10, Wanda graduated from Perry
High School in 1963. Her first job
was with Houston Medical Center
in Warner Robins.
When Perry Hospital opened,
Wanda transferred there as insurance
clerk. Later, she was employed at
Coliseum Medical Center as insur
ance supervisor.
Her latest employment has been
as medical transcriptionist with
Doctors Neal, Shirley, Shirley Jr.,
May, Rodenberry, Brown and
Pridgen, Obstetrics and Gynecology
Specialists in Macon. Since her
condition had worsened, she took
medical retirement last July 1.
About 18 months ago, Wanda’s
doctor sent her to the University of
North Carolina for evaluation for a
lung transplant. She was re
evaluated in April 1993 and was
told to be prepared to move to
Chapel Hill when they called.
The call came on December 26.
She has now moved to Chapel Hill
and wears a hospital pager. When
she receives the call that a lung is
available, she will have two hours
in which she must report to the
hospital. For this reason, she
cannot leave the area.
Wanda attends exercise classes at
the hospital four days a week. She
is also involved in a support group
meeting of 15 persons who are cur
rently awaiting transplants. At a
recent meeting each attendant was
asked what they wanted to do first
after their transplant Wanda said,
“I just want to be able to sing in
church.”
Although her health insurance
will cover the costs of the trans
plant in excess of $5,000, she has
above average living expenses and
insurance premiums.
Friends have established a benefit
fund to help with these costs.
Gifts may be made to the Wanda
E. Williamson Benefit Fund, 316
iy •
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V/anda Williamson
N. Lake Drive, Perry, Georgia
31069.
For further information, contact
Peggy Chancy, 302 Sandefur Road,
Kathleen, Georgia 31047, (987-
5021).
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To Place Your
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