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Waterloo woman establishes meningitis foundation Thanks to the efforts of a Waterloo woman Canada now has an official foundation to com bat meningitis In honour of Michael Kathryn Blain, who is the chairwoman of the new Meningius Foundation of Canada, decided to set up the organization this past January, after 120,000 school children in the Region of Water loo were vaccinated against the disease this past December. She also S * lost her only son §. _ 19â€"yearâ€"o1d 4 e Michael, to meninâ€" _ WMs ’W‘ it c gitis in May, 1995 * ay The loss of Michael was the event that actually spurred Blain into setting up the foundation. She said she did it to honour her son "There was a huge need that 1 recognized through the loss _ of Michael." Blain [3 said, when asked why she decided to organize the founâ€" dation. "There wasâ€" ' n‘t anywhere to go to ask the quesâ€" tions (about the j disease) that 1 had. . FA And when you lose _ ; a child, it‘s such an overwhelming experience." She also said although she believes her son got the best medical attention possible when he was stricken with meningitis, medical professionals seemed to be limited in terms of what they could do to fight the illness. Michael died within four days of being hospitalized, even though medical officials knew almost instantly that he had meningitis. "I felt very strongly that they didn‘t know enough, that there wasn‘t enough information available," Blain said. "And for me, there wasn‘t a support group to which I could turn." But the formation of the foundation will hopeâ€" fully change all that, she said The three goals of the foundaticn are to: * raise funds for research to prevent death and disability from meningitis, * become a source of information and public awareness into the disease, * establish a network of people affected by meningitis to encourage and support one another. *Service: We Believe In It" s«<«74A7>20400......._ GET THE SIGN. IHAT GEITS.RESULTS ... PAGK 3 Tim Gardner Chronule Stuff Kathryn Blain established the Meningitis Foundation of Canada in memory of her son Michael, who died of the disease at age 19. Now is the best time to take advantage of the great interest rates. Give the professionals of Scharf Real Estate a call. Chns Beke Tnsh Brown Dan Burkhart Kevin Catton Dwight Duncan Wende Gregory Fret Already the foundaton has raised over $20.000 to be used to fund research imto the preâ€" vention and treatment of meringius And uwhiâ€" mately Blun said she would like the foundation to raise $2â€"$3 mullion for an endowment fund, so a couple of hundred thousand dollars in interest could be used each year to fund meninâ€" gius research. Blain also said the foundations board would be meeting Dec. 12 to go over some of the ways it hopes to distribute information about itself to > epgrmmme~ the public. Founâ€" E u> Ch d en t ! dation members of our goals Blain has also gained credibility for the founâ€" dation by having Dr. Ronald Gold of Toranto, a worldâ€"renowned expert on meningitis, become a member of the foundation‘s board in the postâ€" tion of medical advisor. Blain said Gold was quite willing to become a member af the haurd when she first contacted him about the idea Anyone wanting to contact the Meningius Research Foundation of Canada can call or fax (519) 746â€"8306 or wnite the foundation at Post Office Box 28015, RPO. Parkdale, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 6J8. The foundation‘s web site is fund@meningitis.ca As for whether the foundation wall actually help lead to a cure for meningitis, Blain said she hopes that will happen in her lifetime "But you know I don‘t think in thase terms, she said. "My agenda is to be a part of the soluâ€" tion. And hopefully, the more people who are enabled to be a part of it (the battle against meningitis), such as other families like mine. it will happen much quicker " THINKING OF SELLING OR BUYVING A HOME? Ton Halliwell Rob Halter Jeff Holland Jim Hooton Mana Jorwiakowski cter dre preparing a brochure about themselves and plan to have it disâ€" tributed to the public through health units acrass Canada once the brochure is comâ€" pleted. ling up support groups for families affected by memnâ€" gitis. Blatn said the foundation will soon be working on that too. ‘That‘s someâ€" thing we‘re going to be working on in the new year. setting up a chapâ€" ter network," she said. "That‘s one Kalbieisch And as for set currently Waterloo resident Laura Winn is placed on a stretcher by ambulance attendants aftershe was knocked down and dragged by horses in the Guelph Santa Claus Parade, Sunday. Waterloo woman escapes serious injury after being knocked down by horses in Santa Claus Parade A giant, metalâ€"framed costume head acted as a helmet and saved a Waterloo woman in the Guelph Santa Claus parade from more serious injury when she was knocked down and dragged by horses and a wagon Sunday "I was in shock vesterday," said 22â€"vearâ€"old Laura Winn, a University of Guelph student, in a Monday phone interview from her Waterlao home. "The head really saved me because 1 fell on my face and 1 have a few bruises on my face where it hit the head on the way down." Saved by giant costume head Winn, a fourthâ€"year commerce student, had just started walking in her Santa Claus parade debut as a costume character wearing traditional Mexican dress, a giant head and sombrero when she was knocked down by a team of four mimaâ€" ture horses and a colt pulling a wagon of nine people. _ Owner Gord Howlett. 42, doesn‘t know what spooked his harses as he tried to fix part af the hamess Gary Kipfer Bcu)â€"(;.ni Lorents Boh Mathis John Maziarz Cindy Melioul Mike Melloul [ have no idea." said Howlett. who had by Virginia Wilson Special to the Chromcle * Represents Sales Represeptguye, apd e o s i m s SAE UV S viebe ces Mike Moher Walter Muelfer Lance Roberts Telt Rowley Janet Schnarr Kuaron Shartun 1999 Câ€"CLASS horses in the parade last year and was surprised hy the events. "I wish I did." The horses bolted and dragged Howlett before Winn was hit, and dragged about five meters polive say, by the right front wagon wheel. They had just started on the parade route near London Road MWinn said police, ambulance and fire personâ€" nel quickly rushed to her ard. A doctar watching the parade with his two children also came aver and calmed her by expluning procedure as Winn was loaded onto a back board "He came to visit me in the hospital,‘ sad Winn, who was released later that day after being treated lor cuts, bruises and an abrasion to her back left shoulder An xâ€"ray showed no breaks or fractures Guelph Poalice Staff Sgt. Don Porterficld, a 28â€" year veteran, said he recalls only one other acctâ€" dent in the parade years ago, when someone fell off a float Howlett said he suffered minor injunies and didn‘t need to go to hospital Winn said extra clothes she wore for warmth saved her from worse road burns Nestor Shartun Janet Stockie James Stockie Jack Sheppard Carol Tuck wood Birgitta Weberâ€"Admian Terry Yates esents Assuciate Broker