We will always remember Richard Patterson

The VMC family has lost a true hero.

Richard Patterson passed away last night peacefully, surrounded by his family and friends, to a personal rendition of his favorite song.

In the words of Dr. Stephanie Kolakowsky-Hayner, who leads VMC's Rehabilitation Research Center: Richard was an amazing man who influenced so many diverse circles and will be missed terribly. He led the peer-support counseling program at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center for the past 15 years. He was a tireless advocate for individuals with disabilities, peer support coordinator, committee member for the Public Authority for In-Home-Supportive-Services, a co-chair of the Disability Advisory Commission for the City of San Jose, brother, son, fiancé, colleague, and friend. His loss will impact the thousands of lives he has touched.

One life was mine. I met Rich eight years ago, and there's no end to what he taught me. Rich was the first to explain to me that "you never really 'accept' your spinal cord injury, rather you learn to live and work with it, the best you can, which is why peer support is so critical." As much as someone not living with a disability can understand, Richard Patterson helped me understand.

Our work together saw Richard leading adventurists (like him) with disabilities on glider rides, whale-watching and SCUBA trips, and other excursions that proved what was possible. Great men like Steve Lyon and Marv Tuttle worked with Richard for years to demonstrate to thousands that life after a spinal cord injury can be full and exciting. The VMC Foundation will be forever proud to be part of his legacy.

We have, therefore, established a fund in his name, to ensure that his peer support and community work will grow. His family requests that gifts be sent to the VMC Foundation, 2400 Moorpark Ave. #207, San Jose CA 95128. Be sure to write "Richard Patterson" in the memo of your check, or to give by ccard, call us at 408-885-5299 or visit us on line.

Rich, I'll miss you buddy. We all will.

Soda-Free Summer...but let's not stop there!

It's a pretty rare thing that I reference Men's Health, a publication that spends a lot of time trying to improve one's sex life. But, on occasion, they actually focus on - yes - men's health...which oddly is often the same thing as women's health, and kids' health!

Who would have thought?

Anyway, as the VMC Foundation launches another year of our Public Health Department's Soda-Free Summer campaign, it's important to remember that you can ingest a lot of unhealthy drinks without guzzling Dr. Pepper or Jack Daniels - often without thinking about it, or worse, thinking you're doing the right thing.

Here, then, is a great article from Men's Health that should raise your eyebrows...and hopefully, your water glass. Cheers.

Another amazing story from a VMC family...

After receiving permission from the family, I am excited to share this story with you. As difficult as it is to imagine feeling "locked in" your own body, imagine being given a chance to start communicating again. That's what VMC's team did for Laure, and part of what the VMC Foundation proudly supports.

When I asked Mr. Chow if I could share this with you, in fact, he responded right away, saying You can certainly share. We credit the staff at SCVMC, especially Dr Duong and your PT/OT/ST staff for challenging while respecting Laure. Laure always faces her challenges head on.

You should also know the nursing staff has always been fantastic. Laure was very particular about her care and Laure felt both safe and genuinely cared for by your nursing staff.

Laure has a long way to go, but your staff has been a source of compassion, support and encouragement towards her recovery.

This, then, from Mr. Chow:

To Laure’s extended family:

It has been a long and difficult year for Laure and her family. She is still paralyzed and mute, and everyday life has been extremely challenging. Today however, I share some good news.

Since Laure has been working diligently with physical/occupational therapy every day, she has managed to gain enough head control to hold her head steady. This allows her to use a machine called Dynavox.

The machine tracks her eyes along a keyboard and when Laure blinks, it accepts this as if she were pressing a key. Once she completes a sentence, she uses her eyes to “click” on the “speak” button and the machine speaks what Laure has just typed with her eyes.

At first Laure spelled, “I am tired”, then “thank you Larry”, and “Annie (her caregiver) you are special”. Then Laure was on a roll, spelling:

I want Internet.

I want email.

I want email.

I want email.

She was then able to spell / speak, “I love Ton Ton” and “I love Caillou”.

Finally, she spelled, “ I am happy” and “I have a voice”. We all cried.

All this took well over an hour; the device is not 100% accurate, and Laure gets exhausted just trying to hold her head steady, but we will keep practicing and hopefully send a few emails soon.

I know you share in our joy, and thank you for your thoughts, prayers, love and support of Laure.



Larry Chow

A new troubling study on our health...

What do you suppose makes the biggest difference to your health? Genes? Kicking the cigarette habit?

These things are important, sure, but according to a groundbreaking new study done by our own Public Health Department, racism you experience and where you live are MORE important.

Troubling? You bet it is. I've been fighting racism and injustice where I see it for a long time, and if this study (done in partnership with The Health Trust) doesn't get make you as mad as it does me, then I'm sorry for you.

The way people treat you based on the color of your skin, and the amount of money you make, and the neighborhood you live in have a dramatic effect on your health. This is unfair, and as a society we need to figure out what to do about it...at least that's how I feel.

Check out the study here, and let me know your reaction to it.

VMC Foundation and Silicon Valley lose a dear friend

I met Leonard Ely in 2007, and by 2008 he had become such a strong supporter of our "Measure A" campaign to rebuild Valley Medical Center that I'm not sure we'd have won without him.

"VMC saved my life", he often said of his time with us, which was told and retold by news sources around Silicon Valley.

Now Leonard Ely has passed away at 87, and will be greatly missed and remembered. A generous man, he was also a shrewd business leader - and woe unto anyone who misjudged that!

Mr. Ely, thank you for all you have done for our community...your gifts will keep giving for generations to come. The full obituary can be read here.

Social media and fund raising...we're getting there!

I'll be in San Diego for a couple of days this week, attending a national conference on behavioral health. My presentation is on social media and how we in the public benefit sector can use it to raise awareness - and money - for the work we do.

One fun little tool I like is QR codes, which turn your web address or file into a Jackson Pollack painting...which you can then read with your smart phone, and have a video or website pop up. The one above right is a funny video we made for hospital staff demonstrating phone etiquette.

I'll be wearing one at the conference as a name tag, which will be my electronic business card...anyone who scans it with their smart phone will land on this blog page, and have my contact info:

E. Christopher Wilder
Executive Director
Valley Medical Center Foundation
2400 Moorpark Ave. #207
San Jose CA 95128
408.885.5299
echristopher.wilder@hhs.sccgov.org
www.vmcfoundation.org

Fun! Think of ways you might use these neat little tools, and of course, follow me and the Valley Medical Center Foundation on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.

Also, if you want to get an idea of what I'll be talking about this week in San Diego, here's the slide show.

Summer starts here. June 4 - get ready to party!

For most of the northern hemisphere, summer starts on the twenty-first of June.

However, this year, for a select few, summer will come early.

This year, the season of barbecues and baseball, of suntans and lemonade, of long days and warm nights, will begin on June 4 on a rooftop in Silicon Valley...

We invite you to "Swing Into Summer," a fundraiser for the VMC Foundation, presented by Lexus Stevens Creek and American Medical Response. It just may be our best party yet.

Dance to the big band sounds of the 18-piece "Full Spectrum Jazz".

Savor the delectable cuisine of Parsley Sage Rosemary &Thyme.

Taste local artisan wines from 8 local winemakers.

Enjoy gift bags and prizes that include music, gift cards to local restaurants and attractions...this is just about worth the price of admission by itself, seriously. Thanks to Armadillo Willy's for sponsoring these great gifts.

And that's not all. One lucky couple will win airfare for two to Hawaii courtesy of Peak Travel Group, just for showing up! It might be you (I promise it won't be me, sadly).

Saturday, June 4th 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Rooftop of Lexus Stevens Creek 3333 Stevens Creeks Blvd., San Jose

Tickets are a bargain at $100.00. Click here to purchase or call 408-885-5299.