Notice: Undefined index: HTTP_REFERER in /home/stparch/public_html/headmid_temp_main.php on line 4394
Newspaper Archive of
Barnstable Patriot
Barnstable, Massachusetts
HOME Browse Search List Of All Titles New! Global Image Search
Free Search  Subscribe  Sign In
June 16, 2006     Barnstable Patriot
PAGE 4     (4 of 34 available)        PREVIOUS     NEXT      Jumbo Image    Save To Scrapbook    Set Notifiers    PDF    JPG
© Publisher. All rights reserved.     Upgrade to access Premium Tools
 
PAGE 4     (4 of 34 available)        PREVIOUS     NEXT      Jumbo Image    Save To Scrapbook    Set Notifiers    PDF    JPG
June 16, 2006
 
Newspaper Archive of Barnstable Patriot produced by SmallTownPapers, Inc.
Website © 2025. All content copyrighted. Copyright Information
Terms Of Use | Privacy Policy | Request Content Removal | About / FAQ | Get Acrobat Reader




EDWARD F MARONEY PHOTO A GRACEFUL 'EXIT' - Someone yelled, "Group hug!" at interim Supt. Tom McDonald's retirement party at the Sons of Italy Hall in Cotuit last Friday, and he joined the school committee in a recreation of the famous moment from The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Roughly left to right: Pat Murphy, Peggy Dandridge, Debra Dagwan. McDonald, Ralph Cahoon and David Lawler. EDWARD F MARONEY PHOTO THEY'RE LISTENING - Helen Corbett, a Centerville Elementary School parent and a cancer survivor,speaks to a 2nd grade class about healthy habits for living during the school's Field Day this week. Students walked around the ball field with paper torches in emulation of the Relay for Life fundraiser being held today at Dennis-Yarmouth High School starting at 3 p.m. and concluding 24 hours later. Centerville students raised hundreds of dollars for cancer research. .^J , f* McDonald won't go to Rhode Island Barnstable interim Super- intendent of Schools Tom McDonal d came in second in the vote for anew superinten- dent of the East Providence public schools, but he still feels like a winner. "I went in talking about really changing the sys- tem, bringing in a business model ," McDonald said. "I was asking them to take a risk, and that's not an easy thing for a school committee to do." After final interviews Tuesday, McDonald drove home and heard the news from the consultants to the East Providence committee early Wednesday morning. "They made the right choice ," he said of the se- lection of the Rhode Island system's assistant superin- tendent. "They had someone who's been there six years and done an excellent j ob bringin g stability to the district." With this settled , McDon- ald is poised to jump into the private sector. His last school committee meeting as superintendent will be next Tuesday. McDonald has three new ventures to pursue. One can't be announced just yet, but the other two will be enterprises with family and friends. With son Chris, McDon- ald will hold a franchise for the Readers Digest "Books Are Fun" program that sup- plies books to schools in Barnstable , Nantucket , Nor- folk and Plymouth coun- ties. Also , he 'll join Kev- in Harrington , the former Barnstable School Commit- tee chairman who's served as afinancial consultant the last two years , at Harrington 's Be Safe company, which promotes school safety. Summing up, McDonald said, "I can't just sit on the beach. " CCA alumni invited to picnic Cape Cod Academy will host an All-Alumni Reunion and familypicnic Sunday from 1to 4 p.m. (rain or shine) at the Osterville school. Grads will have an opportunity to say hello to Headmaster Tom Evans, who's stepping down after 26 years. Admis- sion is $10, free for children under 10. Boat builders wanted Cape Cod Maritime Mu- seum in Hyannis will hold a master class in building a Grand Banks dory over three consecutive weekends begin- ning July 8. Tuition is $575. Reservationsmustbemade by June 23; call 508-775-1723. • Z CLASSROOM RAMBLES ^ssBj S jgj^ New Home Construction Craig Ashworth - 385 Sea St., Hyannis - 775-0457 This Summer Kick Up Your Heels - r Cole Haan Mephisto lack Rogers Donald Plfner Stuart Weitzman Zalo Loeffler Randall Taryn Rose Paul Green la Coste Icon OSTERVILLE \ 837 Main Street i CDEPOT STREET! I NURSERY | Perennials $6.99 Every Day Specializing in annuals, perennials, ornamental grasses, hosta and deciduous shrubbery Mon-Sun 8am-4pm 48 Lombard Avenue West Barnstable en s to back of complex) s\ -375-0506 S )lors For 4th of July ft? White*J^e^ _ K CONTINUED FROM PAGE A:1 fifth visit this past winter. Describing her role as a vol- unteer, Swanson said: "Down there.I'm apediatrician, asur- geon, agynecologist,whatever they need me to be. I don't do anything I wouldn't do in this country.Iwould do smallexci- sions; my license allows that. I can help out in surgery, but surgery is out of my practice expertise. I don't see children here. Iwould down there. And I should mention we always have backup: two surgeons, two anesthesiologists and a gynecologist." Educationisbasic ,Swanson said, including teaching the importance of washing hands after bathroom visits and brushing teeth. "They have banana trees in the yards, but they don't eat the bananas when they fallon the ground," she said. "They don't realize it'satool to fight diarrhea and replace electrolytes. " Where she is surrounded by and advises cancer pa- tients week-long at the Cape Cod Hospital, Swanson said, "there isjust so much we can do in terms of cancer down there. The average person makes $250 (U.S.); they don't have money for radiation therapy. We do breast exams, and if we can feel a breast tumor, we take it out surgi- cally. I might point out, too, that down there doctors tell them it's an infection. They don't speak of cancer in some cultures. You're not supposed to tell a person something as upsetting as that." Commenting on longevity for women,Swansonsaidmost women do not live to the age of menopause. "Totalk about menopause makes it sound like you're going to die, and a lot die at 50," she said while showingaPower Point presen- tation of the stark reality of poor health rampant in that region of Guatemala. An understandable percep- tion may be that the LAMP team is providing care in a hospital comparable to asmall hospital or clinic in a remote rural area of the United States. Swanson quickly scratched the comparison. "We bring everything (from the U.S.),"she said. "We bring a complete operating room to perform surgeries, fully- stocked pharmacies, IV, drugs, ventilator and surgeons. We even stuff luggage with Ibu- profen and Tylenol." A traveling hospital? "A traveling hospital," she said with a smile. Swanson pointed out that considerable equipment and suppliesare donated by hospi- tal colleagues of LAMP mem- bers, Rotary Clubs across the country and hospital charities. "When Ileft thisyear, everyone here at the hospital chipped in to contribute supplies ," she said. "I'd guess there was something like 40 pounds." Also, "there 's a trailer full of hospital beds waiting in Rhode Island to go down there, waiting for funds." Noplushhousingaccommo- dations await the volunteers. Swanson said the group occu- pies abuilding equipped with bunk beds onwhichclothingis piled to keep out bugs. "And thisplace has enough toilets," she said. "The old building that was used had only four toilets for 45 women." Aware of the importance of their own good health and to prevent possible illness, "We bringall our own food and wa- ter," Swanson said. "If we do buy anything,we know what's safe to buy. Our kitchen crew is very important." There are willing and help- ing hands assistingthe LAMP volunteers during their week- long stay.Swanson said,citing Peace Corps volunteers, who assist mostly with transla- tions, and a "special" Gua- temalan. He's Edwardo Mi- randa, a nurse from Jalapa, who Swansonsaidvisitsallthe remote villages to do follow- ups with patients , and also arranges the scheduling for the following year's visits. Swansonchuckled asshere- calledalanguagemisstep that has become acatchphrase for the clinicians. She was trying to tell Miranda that she liked pineapple , but it came out, "I love you, pineapple. " Lifein the forbidding moun- tainous environment , par- ticularly inthe "aldeas" (small villages) might be viewed as a journe y accompanied by horrible poverty. "They seem happy and content with the lifestyle...in our hearts we know it's not the case," Swanson said. "The children are very well cared for; the parents prefer a hometown existence, that is, they don't want to travel outside of town. They believe there are spirits that stay in town and watch over them." Asked how long she will continue to volunteer, the 37- year-old native of Portsmouth, R.I., replied: "Until it gets too dangerous,"areference to the continuing threat of robbers. But in the same breath, she quickly says she has about 40 surgeries booked for next year. Swanson said volunteers each pay $1,200 to take part in the program, and that in- cludes airfare,food and hous- ingcosts.Anyoneinterested in contributing to the effort can contact LAMPat 312-795-7846 or by writing to 578 Sunset Ridge Road , Northfield IL 60093.. How deeply does your work there touch you, the doctor was asked. Offering a soft smile, she replied: "I always think I better come back next year.Youleave a piece of your heart down there , and you have to go back and visit it." Edward F. Maroney contributed to the reporting of this story. Extended care...