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About Cannon Beach gazette. (Cannon Beach, Or.) 1977-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 11, 2015)
12A • September 11, 2015 | Cannon Beach Gazette | cannonbeachgazette.com Finding a hero at the Ice Bucket Challenge By Dani Palmer Cannon Beach Gazette Last year, the ALS Asso- ciation Ice Bucket Challenge went viral, raising $115 mil- lion globally for research. Lo- cals like Susan Simon, whose son has ALS, are trying to keep that challenge going. Amyotrophic lateral scle- rosis is a progressive neuro- logical disease affecting the nerve cells in the brain and spi- nal cord. Symptoms include muscle weakness and dif¿cul- ty swallowing. Approximately 20,000 Americans have the disease at any given time. Adam Simon, 42, was di- agnosed in 2008 and put in a medical ward at the Air Force base in San Antonio. He had served in the Gulf War and retired as a staff sergeant a year after being diagnosed. In 2012, he moved in with his mother in Cannon Beach. Adam was only given two to ¿ve years to live. It¶s been seven. “Sometimes in life you never have a hero,” Susan said. “Adam is my hero.” She noted that those di- agnosed under the age of 40 often display a slower rate of progression. Adam is un- steady and falls often, but can still walk with a walker and gets out, Susan said. He goes swimming and does other ac- tivities with caregiver Daniel Stowers. Stowers was an army combat medic for six years in Afghanistan and recruited by Su]anne (vans, Adam¶s other caregiver also served in Af- ghanistan as a medic with the Oregon Army National Guard. Susan said she saw a bracelet soldiers wear to re- member fallen comrades on Stowers¶ wrist and told him about the job after learning he¶d also been a medic. Evans was “pretty messed up” after departing the mil- itary, ¿nding it dif¿cult to even leave home. She said she felt blessed to receive the job with the Simon family as it was a safe place to do what she loves. “The cherry on the cake is that it¶s another broth- er in arms,” she said. She cooks, cleans, takes Adam to Portland every three months for medical appoint- ments and does physical ther- apy with him. “I¶m just there as some- body he can count on,” she said. “Anything you take for granted is harder for him.” Stowers said he¶s learned more about ALS through his work with Adam and edu- cates others. “Adam¶s awesome,” he said. “He¶s very Tuiet, but he¶s one of those people who says more without saying anything.” Researchers are still study- ing the correlation, but mil- itary veterans are twice as likely to be diagnosed with ALS than the general popu- lation, according to the ALS Association. In 2014, $77 million of the $115 million raised through the Ice Bucket Challenge went toward research, $23 million toward patient and community services and $10 million to public and profes- sional education. There is no cure for ALS yet, only palliative care pro- viding relief from symptoms. “This death is not for sis- sies,” Susan said. “It¶s like a big train engine is coming toward you and you can¶t get off the track.” Along with her Ice Bucket Challenge, Susan, an artist at White Bird Gallery, presented a $500 donation to the ALS Association. via the sale of her paint- ings. Those who receive the Ice Bucket Challenge are encouraged to record them- selves dumping a bucket of ice water over their heads, to challenge at least three more people and donate to the ALS Association. Susan extended the invitation to the Ice Buck- et Challenge to members of American Legion Post 168. More information can be found at www.alsa.org¿ght- als/ice-bucket-challenge. DANI PALMER/CANNON BEACH GAZETTE Military veterans Suzanne Evans, left, and Daniel Stowers pour water on Susan Simon, left, and Andy Kerr for the ALS Association's Ice Bucket Challenge. Susan’s son, Adam, a retired staff sergeant from the U.S. Air Force, has ALS. The 12th Annual EXERCISE THE MIND . . . LEARN BRIDGE SIX FREE LESSONS THURSDAYS 10 am - 12 noon Starting Thursday October 15th, 2015 i EASY k FUN j FRIENDS i FOOD h FREE! Come play in in the delightful Mary Blake Playhouse 1225 Ave A, Seaside. Call Sue Kroning: (503) 738-7817, cell (503) 739-0264, email skroning@centurylink.net to register (or just come along). Cannon Beach Cottage Tour T W O - D A Y E V E N T B E R 12 & S E P T E M Satu rd ay, Septem ber 12th: 13 P R E -T O U R L U N C H E O N & L E C T U R E w ith a R O U N D T A B L E D ISC U SSIO N M O D E R A T E D by C B H C M B oard P resid en t, K im berley Speer-M iller N oon at T olovan a In n , cost $25 H O M E & G AR D EN TO U R F R O M 1- 5 P M • $30 F ollow ed by a w in e reception an d con cert from 6 - 8:00 p.m . w ith live m usic, d oor prizes, an d raffle of a han gin g quilt Su n d ay, Septem ber 13th E N G L ISH ST Y L E G A R D E N T E A at 11 am Tolovan a In n w ith G ard en P resen tation by D ebbie Teashon T ickets m ust be purchased by Sept 8th O fferin g Tour Packages too! 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A free gift bag will be given to all women who have a mammogram or breast MRI during the month of October. Get breast health resources at www.ProvidenceOregon.org/breastcancer.
