Newspapers / The Charlotte Jewish news. / Nov. 1, 1987, edition 1 / Page 3
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Page 3-THE NEWS-November, 1987 Jewish Family Services IM Career Testing WHAT: Includes interpretation of Self-Directed Search (SDS) and Personal Profile Inven tory (PPI) HOW MUCH: $45 HOW: Call JFS at 364-6594 Pick up SDS and vocabulary sheet to PPI and schedule an appointment. Project GENE—Part II By Penny Eisenberg Project GENE, an acronym for Genetics: Everyone Needs Education, is the nationwide program recently launched by B’nai B’rith Women in cooperation with the March of Dimes, to educate the public about birth defects. This series of articles has been prepaid by HaLailah B’nai B’rith Women to explain genetic disorders and the research that is being done in the field of genetic disease. In addition to Tay Sachs disease there are six genetic disorders that are specific to Jewish people. They are Gau- cher’s disease, Bloom syn drome, Niemann-Pick, A-T, Torsion Dystonia and Dysau- tonomia. Gaucher’s disease is the most prevalent Jewish genetic disease affecting one in 2500 Ashkenazi Jews. One out of every 25 Jewish people carry the Gaucher’s gene. Gaucher’s is a biochemical genetic disorder involving a particular enzyme. There are three sub- types with differing symp toms. In Type 1, symptoms may begin in later childhood or adolescence. Symptoms may vary widely from joint pain, anemia, bruising, to enlargement of the spleen and liver causing chronic debility. Type 2 has its onset in infan cy and is a fatal degenerative disorder similar to Tay Sachs. Type three is a juvenile onset form with neurologic involve ment. At present there is no cure for Gaucher’s disease. The March of Dimes is cur rently funding several re search projects dealing with Gaucher’s. Bloom Syndrome is a rare disease but the recessive gene is common in Ashkenazi Jews, the carrier rate being greater than 1 in 120. The affected in dividual shows shortness of stature, skin problems with some disfiguration, ear infec tions, respiratory infections that can be life threatening, in fertility in men and greater than normal cancer risk. Research is being done on the mechanism of genetic recom bination which produces dis orders such as A-T, Bloom Syndrome and Fanconia Anemia. Over half of the reported cases of Niemann-Pick Disease have occurred in Jewish fanu- lies. Although it is a rare disease, the carrier rate among Jews appears to be about 1:100. An enzyme deficiency causes an abnormal accumula tion of fat in cells of the ner vous system and other organs resulting in death between 1-3 years of age. Prenatal diag nosis is possible and should be explored if family history so dictates. Ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T) is a disorder that affects Sep- hardic and Oriental Jews. It is a fatal disease from which the majority of patients die before or during their teens. Patients show progressive motor inco ordination, recurrent res piratory infections, mental retardation and malignancies. The March of Dimes is cur rently funding projects to isolate the gene responsible for A-T, which would enable pre natal diagnosis of it. Dysautonomia (Riley-Day syndrome), an inherited disease affecting Ashkenazi Jews, is characterized by in sensitivity to pain, swaUowing difficulties, lack of tears, physical ret£U"dation, episodic vomiting and numerous other problems. Autosomal Recessive Dys tonia, a disease that affects one in 20,000 Ashkenazi Jews, is characterized by bizarre twitching and torsion of the body and limbs, resulting in bizarre postures that become fixed over time. Surgery of the thymus can be done and has altered the life expectancy of these people. Research con tinues on finding a drug that will be effective in treating people with Torsion Dysto nia. The March of Dimes spends $1 million a year on research and counseling for Jewish genetic diseases. Your support is needed. Please send dona tions to: The March of Dimes, 2325 Randolph Rd., Charlotte 28207. Super Sunday Dec. 6 Thoughts From Adrienne By Adrienne Rosenberg JFS Director In my younger social work days, I once worked for a welfare department in rural Indiana. That was my first ex perience in working with seniors. I recall a couple of them even now. Both of them —one male, one female—lived by themselves and had limited financial resources. The man lived in a four-room shack near a railroad track. He had only a couch, a chair and a spittoon in his living room. In very cold days when I visited, he would put this chair close to the wood-burning stove in the middle of the room. He would have me sit there so I wouldn’t get cold. The woman lived in a farm house where she had resided for many years. Her husband had died several years before I became her caseworker. The farm was not on a main road; rather, it was off a dirt road that was not easily accessible when there were heavy snows. This person was a diabetic but could not always afford the diet her doctor recommended for her. What I remember most about these two clients was their pride in maintaining their independence and being able to manage on their own. This was true despite the hardships of poor finances, poor health and their social isolation. I especially remem ber this push to maintain in dependence when I visited the womem in the hospital after her leg had to be amputated, and she begged me to not con sider any plan that did not edlow her to return home. Her doctor suggested she enter a nursing home or live with a relative; she insisted she would rather die than have that happen. It was as a result of my in volvement with these two clients that helped shape my philosophy in working with seniors. Above all, with the majority of older persons I have come into contact with, there is less depression and more pride when the older per son is able to maintain the dignity of being independent and able to remain in their own homes as long as possible. Of course, assistance to do so is often required from family or home health services. It is a fact that 5% of the elderly do need residential care due to ill ness and confusion. But older persons in general share the same values as when they were younger — privacy, in dependence, and a home of one’s own. To age is to become more vulnerable to chronic illnesses, fewer financial resources, spouse and peer deaths and social isolation. None of this can be avoided. But to age can also mean that one can take charge of the time he or she has. We can’t take the pain out of the fact that humans aren’t inunortal or that iU- nesses accumulate as we age. We can, however, refuse to believe that after a fixed age we become nonfunctioning, impaired or a person without worth. There is no reason other than illness why memory, ac tivity, sexuality, relationships, dignity and independence should not be maintained as long as possible. 'True, the older one is, the more help to remain independent may be re quired. It remains harder to be totally independent. But the important thing is that pride in being one’s own person in one’s own home is of vital im portance for as long as possi ble. Tell our advertisers you saw it here! M'reensvon 1 & Associates»inc. y Insurance SpBcialists In Personal and Business Life Insurance Employee Benefits 125 Cottage Place • Charlotte. NO 28207 • (704) 376-7434 James J. Bedrick, M.D. Ophthalmology Retina, Macula & Vitreous Diabetic Eye Disease is pleased to announce the association of Mark L. Malton, M.D. Ophthalmology Neuro-Ophthalmology Orbital Disease and Surgery Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Drs. Bedrick and Malton will practice as Mecklenburg Eye Associates, P.A. Metroview Building University Medical Office Building 1900 Randolph Road, Suite 1016 101 Harris Blvd., Suite A-323 Charlotte, NC 28207 Charlotte, NC 28213 Telephone (704) 334-2020 Inside NC 1-800-628-3937 Outside NC 1-800-643-3937 Medicare Assignment Accepted for Cataract and Lens Implant Surgery Stay Ahead of the Game ActiT*. iMOlthT P«opl* don’t wait lor piobUms to thMD down. Tb*T mcdntoin mind ond body througn di*t, •z«rclM cmd a productiT# lil« ityl*- P**“ TontatiT* maint«nanc« should also includ* r*galmlT schoduUd chixopractic car*—tli* only profession wboM spoclaltT is tlM d«t*ction and corroction of misaliCTMd T«rt«bra. At ASBANDT CLINIC wo coonsol oux clionts in th* dOTolopmont ol a porsonal. ongoing strotogr tor total health and woU boing. os today. Find out how w* can holp malw yoox lilt o xnoTlng oxpoxionco. HEALTH D.C n. A state of optiinal physical, mental ARRANDT CLINIC OF CHIROPRACTIC and social waU-belng. and 4100 PAMC M>AD cAiouNA MW ^ m^relT the obsencs ot ^ ^ disease and infirmity. Mon.-Sot. 9-1 Mon.-Thurs. 3-7
Nov. 1, 1987, edition 1
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