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Page §&, Terrace Bay-Schreiber News, Wednesday, October 23, 1985 Terry Fox - Inventor by HUGH WESTRUP One of the less-known facts about Terry Fox is that he was an amateur in- ventor with a very clever idea. , Fox was continually frustrated by his inability to run with a normal gait. In an attempt to do something about this, he and a garage mechanic in Vancouver altered the design of his ar- tificial leg. Fox's idea was to replace the metal shaft of the leg with a pogo-stick. Not many months after Fox died, the War Am- putations of Canada organization seized on his idea -and_-- sponsored research on its develop- ment. Two years later, they are unveiling a new ar- tificial leg. Based on Fox's pogo-stick idea, that will make it possible for am- putees to run with a normal looking gait and without pain. "Except for a small limp, you can't tell that the wearer is a person with an artificial leg," says Guy Martel, head of the pro- sthetics and orthotics cen- tre at Chedoke-McMaster Medical Centre in Hamilton, and one of the two designers of the im- proved leg. The old-style artificial leg pivoted too slowly, thereby requiring the run- ner to hop twice on the good leg for each step on the artificial limb. Martel says, "'It's like using the leg as a pole to vault to the next step," he adds. Also, because the old leg has no '"'give"; it causes the wearer a great deal of pain. "When you run, you are subjected to a large shock every time your foot hits the ground," says Martel. Every running step car- ries a pounding force four- and-one-half times greater than the runner's weight. When an amputee runs, all his force hits the stump of the missing leg. The new design is basically a pogo stick and shock absorber inside a metal shaft. Not only does it soften the impact of each step as its steel spring com- presses on impact, it also pushes the leg forward as the spring uncoils. Because the artificial leg bends at the knee, it allows the run- ner to move the leg once for every step of the good leg. Martel and his co- designer, Ted Iler, have been testing the improved prosthesis on Grant Darby, a 21 year old engineering student at McMaster University who, like Fox and Steve Fonyo, lost a leg to cancer. Darby says that he could barely run a across the street with his old articial leg. Today, with a spring in his step, he jogs and even plays basketball. Martel says the new leg takes considerable getting used to. "'It's like going from being left handed to right handed," he says. The one flaw in the new leg is that it is too heavy. "It's made of stainless steel, but we're going to switch to aluminum or titanium or carbon-fibre, which should cut the weight in half," says Martel. "A lightweight leg should be ready for marketing in twelve to eighteen months and will cost about $3,500,' he adds. Dozens of requests have already come in for the leg. Martel says he is looking for physically-fit amputees to test the leg. St. We are considering the formation of a support group for families who have lost a child through death. Sharing with another supporting parent is often the most helpful and reassuring thing. parents Parental Bereavement Group can do in their grief. We would like to know if other parents are in- terested. Please call Sue at 229-0943 or Carol at 229-0123 or 229-1714 in Marathon or contact your Community Development Worker at 824-2867. HALLOWE'EN SPECIAL October 29 - 30 PIZZ 15" Deluxe $10 Terrace Bay Bakery 825-9039 A No one really knows how many people in On- tario owe their lives to St. John Ambulance first aiders. In Ontario St. John trains about 120,000 peo- ple a year in first aid and cardio pulmonary resuscitation. In all classes the candidates make ner- vous jokes about whether theyll remember what they're learning and have the courage to use it. Well, they do. Every in- cident isn't a life saver. But every incident is one in which someone's pain and suffering, fear and injury are eased because a first aider knew what do do. A hockey mother in Mississauga gave artificial respiration to a 17 year old player who had stopped breathing \after he was hit on the head during a game. He's alive. A truck driver took a course in Mississauga because he had seen so- meone bleed to death in a road accident. He came ' back into the office a few weeks later to say he had already used his new skills to help injured people at the scene of another accident. St. John Ambulance Cadets were congratulated by the St. Catherines District Ambulance Ser- vice after they stopped at a car accident in which four people were seriously injured. The letter said, "Their expert assistance and cooperative conduct as they worked diligently with the professional Ambulance and Fire personnel was tru- ly effective. I have no doubt that their assistance contributed to minimizing the severity of casualty in- juries and deterioration." Another volunteer in St. Catharines moved quickly when plate glass fell on an installer and severed an artery. The victim faces months of physiotherapy, but he is alive. Every year St. John Letter to the Editor No, 2 The Slates a Provincial Dear Ministry of Natural Resources: This letter is in response to your call for public opi- nion on the transformation of the Slate Islands into a Provincial Park. We are against it, and have some questions for you. Here are our reasons: 1. You already have 2 parks in this area which you lease out for the sum- mers. Why.do you want another one? Do you have the money and manpower to take care of it? 2. There are few summer days which are calm and clear enough for safe public passage to the Slates. This area is notoriously foggy. Thick ""pea-soup" fog can develop quickly on a warm sunny afternoon. The lake is dangerously unpredic- table, deep, and cold. 3. Would you use the Kinsmen Beach for an ac- cess launch? The passage is tricky, even for people who use it all the time. Would you charge for launching? beach? Would you charge to park there? What would you do when the river is too low to get boats out? 4. Would we lose our safe, warm and dry camps over at the Slates for when we are stranded? How many people would brave the lake rather than sleep in a tent on a cold foggy night? This would not be safe. 5. What effect would heavy public use have on the caribou on the islands? 6. Would you keep taking spawn from the Slate Islands area? You took spawn from there before which you destroyed. (This was published informa- tion). People who fish there all the time think this has caused a decline in fish abundance at the Slates. How can you ensure that this won't happen again? 7. Would you ban fishing at the Slates? 8. Would you charge for docking at the islands? 9. Do you plan to put campsites & trails on the islands? Do you have any awards about 100 cer- tificates to first aiders who have gone to the rescue. They also award a few medals to those who have put themselves in danger to do so. There are many other incidents that never get public acknowledgement. People take first aid for a variety of reasons. They take it. at work as part of the company safety program. They take a public course because they've been in- volved with an accident and felt helpless when they didn't know what to do for injured people. They take it so they can become members of the volunteer St. John Ambulance Brigade and use their train- ing for community service. St. John is a voluntary, charitable organization that has been at work in Canada for more than 100 years. The organization earns in- come in fees for first aid, cardio pulmonary resuscitation and health island are? It took 2 days to find 2 little girls lost on Mortimer island (one of the Slates) recently because of the rough terrain. This is suitable for a park? We thank that Rossport Park and Pukaskwa Na- tional Park give the public a good idea what Lake Superior is like, without endangering lives, which would happen if you turn the Slates into a park. Everyone that we have talked to is against your turning the Slates into a park. We hope that you hear front them, too, and listen. This letter was written and sent in July. The response from the Ministry was "The Slates were already officially designated as park land". They also sent ANAL YHA CENTRAL ONTARIO. DISASTER RELIEF COMMITTEE John Ambulance home care courses, and those fees in turn help to subsidize corses that are provided at no charge to groups and individuals who would not otherwise be able to take them. Local St. John Am- bulance Branches and Brigade units are members of the United Way, and they sometimes seek money for special projects, such as buying training equipment or a first aid vehicle, from local service clubs, business and the public. To help keep up the good work, St. John welcomes volunteers, donations and people who want to take a course to learn how to handle an emergency. Contact the local St. John Ambulance number in your local phone book, or the provincial office at 46 Wellesley Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4Y 1GS. Park!? a "Land Use"' book which answered only one of my questions, that yes, there would be non-commercial fishing allowed in the park. I would like to know how the Town Council and Reeve candidates feel about this. I know Houston is all for it. He says it will benefit all town people - How? I can see it benefit- ting business people. I do not consider increased traf- fic, junk food availability, souvenir sales, etc. to benefit my life. I like Ter- race Bay because it is quiet, with beautiful, private recreation areas. There is also the question of a Public Marina at our beach. This was tried in Rossport and they couldn't make a go of it there where it is much more protected. Why would it work here? Would you make a bi " y e From The Central Ontario parking lot on our beautiful idea how rugged these . = Disaster Relief Committee LAST CALL pedo a the behalf of the ; 3 jeupaneee rt CANADIAN | SOCETE | May 31st tornado victims > i) DU CANCER . = z For Centennial Souvenirs eta J | We-outd theo take his opportuni to expres ur most We have on hand a limited supply of the following items: be beaten. . --to all those who assisted us in so many ways. 2 --to all the -individuals who unselfishly donated money and or time in rebuilding peoples lives and homes. Hats Bells = ae --to all the groups, clubs and organizations who arduously SOY ARE RET MOET) A RR SE REET took it to task to raise large and small amounts of money for our cause. *5.00 Plates *7.50 *6.95 T-Shirts (adult & youth - some sizes & colours) *5.00 --to all the large institutions, corporations, charitable foundations and municipalities who so generously donat- ed much needed funds. --to all those who we might have neglected to include in expressing our gratitude. THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR HEARTS A special note of appreciation should go to the Canadian Red Cross Society for their unselfish sacrifice in collecting funds and their receipting work. Schreiber Legion Br. 109 DABBER BINGO Wednesday, Oct. 30 We all hope that we never have to experience another ev- ent such as this. They make excellent Christmas gifts. Contact: The closing date for the receiving of funds is October 15, 1985 Our fund total to date is 7% Million Dollars Thank you again $500 JACKPOT $50 door prize doors open at 6 p.m. Bingo at 7 p.m. Township of Schreiber 608 Winnipeg St. Schreiber, Ontario Phone: 824-2711/2712 If you have donated money and not yet received a receipt, please be pa- tient. Due to the large numbers of donations it may be a while in coming. FUNDRAISING CHAIRMAN | ~~, GEOFF LIND