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The Gift of Giving Back
Jenni Frankenberg Veal
Chattanooga is fortunate to have numerous nonprofit organizations that work to serve and educate the community. The lifeblood of any nonprofit is its people – the volunteers and staff who work behind the scenes and give their time, intellect and money to help accomplish a mission. Each year, volunteers in Chattanooga contribute an average of 19 million hours of service, according to Volunteering In America – $408 million worth of service.
The following men and women are remarkable in their compassion and efforts to help others. Each has seized the opportunity to improve the lives of others and the community as a whole through their work in specific areas. Their stories are hopeful and alive with all that we pause to celebrate this holiday season.
Mike, Bridget & Mary Alice Lane
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
Mary Alice Lane, a bright-eyed 6-year-old who was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at 2½ months of life, is obviously in good hands with two parents who are dedicated to her health and the research efforts of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disorder that affects the lungs and digestive system of about 30,000 children and adults in the United States. In the last 10 years, research funds provided by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF) have helped doctors to understand cystic fibrosis better and develop new therapies.
“The CFF is groundbreaking in their research model because they work directly with biomedical companies to develop treatments,” says Mike Lane, who volunteers with the Chattanooga chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation with his wife Bridget. “Ninety percent of the money the CFF raises goes to research. It is easy to support someone when you see they are using their money wisely.”
When Mary Alice was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis, the family’s friends and coworkers at Unum showed their love and support by organizing Chattanooga’s first Great Strides fundraising walk, an event that benefits research, education and care programs. “Our friends raised over $50,000 that first year, and this year the event raised $70,000 for the CFF,” says Bridget.
The Lanes say they are also grateful for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Care Center at T.C. Thompson Children’s Hospital and Dr. Joel Ledbetter, a pediatric pulmonologist and director of the CFF Care Center.
“The CFF Care Center sees about 56 families in the area who would otherwise have to travel to Nashville for care,” says Mike. “We are fortunate to have this clinic in Chattanooga.”
For more information about the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, visit www.cff.org or call the Knoxville office at (865) 583-0355.
Suzanne Hemphill
Kidney Foundation of the Greater Chattanooga Area
Diagnosed with kidney disease at the age of 16, Suzanne Hemphill understands the challenges of the disease and is dedicated to helping others through her volunteer efforts with the Kidney Foundation of the Greater Chattanooga Area.
“The thing that really matters in this world is to feel good – and if you feel good, you need to get out there and help those who don’t,” she says.
Suzanne is grateful that her kidney disease was diagnosed early. As a teenager, both of her legs swelled due to staying up all night working on a high school yearbook project. She was taken to Emory for a biopsy and diagnosed with glomerulonephritis, a form of kidney disease.
Kidney disease affects 26 million American adults. The kidneys provide the critical service of removing chemical and mineral impurities from the blood, balancing acid in the blood, and controlling body fluids. For individuals with chronic kidney disease, the vital functions of the kidneys are impaired and may require medication, dialysis or even a kidney transplant.
Suzanne is grateful that her kidney disease was diagnosed early and, despite relapses, is manageable with medication. However, she doesn’t take good health for granted. “When something happens to you in life, it makes you appreciate what you have and gives you compassion for those who need help,” she says.
Suzanne has volunteered with the Kidney Foundation of the Greater Chattanooga Area since 1988. A graduate of Parsons School of Design, she owns MaD Studio and donates her graphic design services to help promote Kidney Foundation fundraising events, including Dare to Dance and Six Strings at Sunset.
“The Kidney Foundation of the Greater Chattanooga Area receives no funding from the National Kidney Foundation, so 100 percent of funds stay within the greater Chattanooga area,” she says.
As chair of the local Kidney Foundation’s patient services committee, Suzanne sees how the nonprofit’s funds directly support those suffering from kidney disease in the Chattanooga community. One of the foundation’s main programs is a partnership with CARTA that provides bus passes for patients who need help getting to and from dialysis appointments.
“It is very moving when you see the kind of help that people need,” Suzanne says. “I encourage everyone to consider finding a place to give their time and energy to help.”
To learn more about the Kidney Foundation of the Greater Chattanooga Area, visit www.kidneyfoundation.com.
Ed Harrison
American Lung Association
As a child, Ed Harrison knew his mom Jewel had a lung condition unrelated to smoking, but he and his siblings did not truly understand its severity.
Diagnosed as a teenager with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), she grew up in Chattanooga when it was considered one of the most polluted cities in the nation.
COPD, a progressive disease that makes it hard to breathe, can be caused by cigarette smoke or long-term exposure to air pollution, chemical fumes, or dust. Ed’s mom was able to live a full life; however, she passed away in 1991 at the age of 52. Her son is one of many who volunteers with the American Lung Association (ALA) to improve lung health.
Ed joined the SE Regional Council of the American Lung Association in 1998. With a career in marketing, he was able to offer expertise in planning fundraising events and marketing the association’s mission. He served as president of the board of directors for the local and state chapters and served on the charter board of the ALA Midland States Chapter.
“Volunteers are extremely important because most nonprofits are so understaffed,” Ed says. “Serving these agencies is good because so many of us are affected by the issues that these nonprofits address.”
Lung disease is the number-three killer in the United States, responsible for one in six deaths. The ALA ’s mission is to fight for healthy lungs and healthy air, and their work is expansive. They are a leader in the fight against air pollution and secondhand smoke, and they provide numerous smoking cessation programs. Additionally, they fund research related to all types of lung disease.
While Ed is modest in discussing his volunteer efforts, he says he was pleased to have the opportunity in January 2010 to testify for the ALA before the Environmental Protection Agency about the dangers of sulfur dioxide emissions from coal-fired power plants. “I found out recently that my involvement with the ALA made a difference” he says. “That was important to me as a volunteer and as a personal witness of the crippling effects of poor lung health.”
For more information about the American Lung Association, visit www.lungusa.org.
Kim Lewis
American Heart Association
After six months of what she thought was just a drawn-out common cold, 35-year-old Kim Lewis woke up one day and realized her face looked blue. Upon further testing, Kim’s doctor sent her to a lung specialist, who immediately sent her to the hospital. That evening, Kim went into a coma.
A single mom at the time with a 13-year-old son, Kim spent 45 days in the hospital where she was diagnosed with myocarditis, a viral infection that causes congestive heart failure.
“I was 35 and active,” she reflects today. “However, more women die of heart disease than the next five leading causes of death, including cancer.”
Myocarditis, a disease marked by inflammation and damage of the heart muscle, can be caused by viral infections, autoimmune diseases, environmental toxins, and adverse reactions to medications. The long-term effects of myocarditis can vary; some people recover normal heart function, while others may not improve.
For Kim, recovery was slow. She spent nearly six years in and out of the hospital, and at one point doctors told her she might only have five years left to live.
In 2001, Kim had the first of many pacemakers and defibrillators implanted to keep her heart from stopping. Doctors even talked about the possibility of a heart transplant; however, at the time, she was struggling with her weight, which made her ineligible.
After serious contemplation, she decided to have gastric bypass surgery to help her lose weight and improve her overall health, which would also increase eligibility for a heart transplant. Fortunately, the surgery was a success.
Today, in good health and newly married, Kim says she owes her life to the American Heart Association (AHA), which has invested more than $3.2 billion in heart research since 1949. Some of the AHA-funded breakthroughs include the first artificial heart valve, CPR techniques and standards, implantable pacemakers, and drug-coated stents.
Kim participated in her first AHA Heart Walk in 2007. Today, she volunteers with the AHA Heart Walk and Go Red for Women luncheon, and she is creating a support group for women with heart issues.
I don’t think I would have survived without my friends, family and church – they made all the difference,” she recalls. “That is why I want to start a support group, to help others who are in the same situation but who might not have the same support system surrounding them.”
For more information about the American Heart Association, visit www.americanheart.org or call the Chattanooga AHA chapter at (423) 763-4400.
Dr. Mark Brzezienski
Project Access & Youth
Leadership Forum
Dr. Mark Brzezienski could best be described as a plastic surgeon turned public servant. As vice president of the Medical Foundation of Chattanooga, Mark’s enthusiasm and dedication to volunteer health care projects in Chattanooga – particularly the Project Access Community Health Partnership and Youth Leadership Forum – have helped both to become models in medicine that are catching the attention of cities across the nation.
The Project Access Community Health Partnership, which was started by Dr. Joseph Cofer in 2002, partners with various primary care agencies to offer specialty health care services – particularly surgical care – to Hamilton County’s working poor. Currently, more than 600 physicians volunteer with Project Access – including Mark, who specializes in breast reconstruction, hand and peripheral nerve surgery, and cosmetic surgery. Since April 2004, Project Access has provided $57.2 million in donated health care to uninsured Hamilton County residents.
“There has always been a need for surgical specialty intervention with the working poor. That is where Project Access comes in,” Mark says. “Project Access is really something for Chattanooga to be proud of. This type of charitable medical intervention just doesn’t happen naturally, and we just don’t see it in other cities of our size.”
Mark is also concerned about the growing need for health care providers in the United States. In 2005, he developed the Youth Leadership Forum through the Medical Foundation and Chattanooga & Hamilton County Medical Society to encourage young people to consider careers in medicine. The forum provides a weeklong mentoring and experience for a select group of upcoming high school seniors.
“I was mentored into becoming a doctor, so the Youth Leadership Forum is near and dear to my heart,” says Mark, who received the Distinguished Service Award from the Tennessee Medical Association for developing the program.
For information about the 2011 Youth Leadership Forum, call (423) 622-2872. For information about Project Access, call (423) 826-0269.
George and Alex Andrews
American Diabetes Association
“Certain words in life are etched on our brains forever,” says George Andrews, father of Alex, 16, and Jennifer, 13. “For me, it was arriving at the hospital to find my son Alex, who was 6 at the time, lying in a hospital bed telling me that he had a life threatening disease that didn’t have a cure.” For George, a Merrill Lynch financial advisor and former Army officer, his son’s diagnosis of type 1 diabetes was uncharted territory. However, with the help of the American Diabetes Association (ADA), Alex and his family have learned to deal with the challenges of diabetes like true champions.
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the body destroys insulin-producing cells in the pancreas.
“When Alex was first diagnosed, he was the first and only type 1 diabetic at his school,” recalls George, who has volunteered with the ADA for 10 years now. “The American Diabetes Association was very supportive in helping us and is a huge resource for anyone dealing with diabetes.”
A turning point for Alex occurred when, at age 11, he and George took part in the ADA Tour de Cure bicycle race, which raises funds for diabetes research, advocacy and education. “We rode 75 miles in the Tour de Cure, which helped Alex realize that he could do anything he wanted,” recalls George, who has ridden with his son in the Tour de Cure almost every year since. “He stopped viewing himself as a victim and saw his diabetes as a challenge.”
George and Alex hope to form a team of kids with diabetes for the 2011 Tour de Cure. “Kids with diabetes need to be around older kids who have managed the disease well,” says George. “I wanted that for Alex, and now Alex can provide that for younger kids.”
To learn more about the American Diabetes Association, visit www.diabetes.org. To join George and Alex for next year’s Tour de Cure, call George at (423) 752-3658.
These men and women are only a small representation of the many who offer their time, talents and resources to help others. All have experienced challenges in their lives. All offer a determined and compassionate desire to joyfully give back what they have received. All serve to inspire others to give freely to help those in need.
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