Unsung Heroes - Years 2010 - present
The Unsung Hero/Heroes Awards are presented to those individuals who always work behind the scenes in any successful organization. They are also dedicated to UOAC, but do not seek the limelight. In fact they prefer to do their work and give their support in an unobtrusive manner.
Irene Surette, South West Nova Scotia Ostomy Chapter (February 2010)
Alfred Thébeau, Moncton (November 2010)
Joan Mancinelli, Regina (January 2011)
Lorette Comeau, South West Nova Scotia Ostomy Chapter (February 2011)
Alyson Walsh, Halifax Chapter (February 2011)
** Deceased
Irene Surette - South West Nova Scotia Ostomy Chapter (January 2010)
At every promotion, at every fund-raiser, at every meeting and at every function, Irene is present. There is never a gathering for which she doesn't bake. There is never a new member that she doesn't support in her own special way. Irene's pleasant manner, the twinkle in her eye, and her kind personality are assets to each and every member that comes our way. For our chapter to sing a tune for Irene is both enjoyable and rewarding.
Her husband, Mike, was President of our Chapter for 10 years and during those years Irene supported her husband's responsibilities. She was also loyal to him with his health, surgery and living with an ostomy. Irene was always at his side at functions, meetings and fundraisers. Once again, behind every good man stands a good woman and, in this case, it was, and still is, an attractive lady known as Irene.
Irene is a volunteer at the Yarmouth Food Bank, a member of the Yarmouth Garden Club, a member of the Lionettes and a fund raising chairperson of our chapter. She is very active in her own personal life such as shopping, cleaning, baking, gardening and sharing time with a very close friend who is very supportive to her and her interests. Irene has collected and packed supplies for third world countries for many years, and still assists.
Alfred Thébeau, Moncton (November 2010)
Alfred Thébeau received a colostomy 19 years ago due to cancer. He has been married to Marie Celine for 43 years and has two children and three grandchildren. He is now retired, having worked for nine years as a mechanic, 10 as a Service Manager and 16 as a truck salesman, all with the same company,
Alfred was Moncton chapter president twice. The first time was for 4 ½ years and the 2nd for four years (2006-2010). Prior to being president, he was in charge of getting guest speakers for the meetings. He was co-chair of the annual UOAC conference in 2006 in Moncton. He worked very hard, along with his co-chair Minerva Holton, by getting speakers, doing fundraising and any other things that needed to be done. During the conference, Alfred ensured everything went smoothly. For the four days of the conference, Alfred and Marie Celine were available almost 24 hours a day.
Alfred is a certified visitor as well as a member of the telephone committee. He participates in any fundraising the chapter organizes. He has also attended a number of conferences. He says that he always learns something new during conferences and has made many new friends.
Alfred is a charter member, and now a life member, of the Irishtown Lions Club. He served as President, Secretary and visitation chairman of the Lions Club. He was also involved in the committee to build the Irishtown Community Centre in conjunction with the Lions Club. In 1990, he received the Melvin Jones Fellow Award given for Dedicated Humanitarian Services. At present, he is a member and treasurer of the Saint Antoine Gun Club.
During his spare time, Alfredâs passions are hunting, golf, watching hockey and walking. He also enjoys spending time at his camp.
Alfred likes making people laugh at meetings. He says that laughter is good medicine. Because of his friendly smile and always upbeat attitude, he is a joy to have at our meetings.
Joan Mancinelli has had an ileostomy since 1980, due to Crohnâs Disease.
Thirty years ago, Joan joined the Regina Ostomy Chapter where she has worked tirelessly in various capacities. She served on the Phoning Committee for two years in the early 1980s and was also Chapter President for one year, in 1988. She has been an ostomy visitor for 25 years and since 1999, has also been head of the Visiting Committee, arranging visitor seminars, meeting occasionally with the ETs as well as arranging all the visits to patients in the hospital, including follow-up phone calls and reports to UOAC.
Joan sits on the Executive of the Chapter, helping to find speakers for the monthly meetings (which she rarely misses) and annual seminar. She works on the Xmas party committee each year and is a hard worker when it comes to setting up for meetings or special events. Whenever we need something done, we know Joan is the person to ask for help.
Last August, Joan attended the UOAC convention in Sydney, Nova Scotia, which she thoroughly enjoyed, and now plans to be present at the next convention in Toronto, 2012.
As if her work with the chapter werenât enough, she has a son, daughter-in-law and grandson. After a 29 year career as a secretary with the Saskatchewan Provincial Government, she retired in 1996 and presently works in a bakery, which she loves.
Joan is also a 40-year member of the Catholic Womenâs League. She was once area coordinator for the annual Heart & Stroke campaign as well as a door-to-door canvasser for the Cancer Society. She volunteers at the Regina Globe Theatre. Lately, Joan has become involved with Grandmothers 4 Grandmothers, the Stephen Lewis foundation which raises money to help grandmothers in Africa raise their grandchildren, whose parents have died from HIV Aids. She also personally supports a child through World Vision. Last but not least, Joan has a keen interest in photography and shows herself as a true Saskatchewanite, with her avid interest in our beloved Saskatchewan Roughriders football team.
We salute Joan Mancinelli, whose dedication and support to other ostomates helps keep our Chapter going. This is why we nominate her to be our Unsung Hero.
UNSUNG HERO â LORETTE COMEAU - South West Nova Scotia Ostomy Chapter
Lorette Comeau is an ostomate who has been a South West Nova Scotia Ostomy member for many years. Her supportive husband, Robert, attends each and every meeting and event with her.
Robert and Lorette recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary and have three sons, certainly living proof of their wedded bliss.
Lorette is our anchor in keeping us on top of our greetings. She listens and reads the news so that she misses no one. We always know that when called upon she will send out a get well wish or a sympathy card. She uses her good judgment on many occasions to send prayer cards. Lorette also forms part of our phone committee.
Lorette and Robert are very special people and we are thankful for their support and continuous attendance. We all want to express our praise and gratitude and truly believe that Lorette is an Unsung Hero.
Des notes de louange âa toi, Lorette.
Submitted by,
Ann Durkee
South West Nova Scotia Ostomy Chapter.
ALYSON WALSH GETS THINGS DONE BEHIND THE SCENES
By Joel Jacobson
Alyson Walsh may be soft spoken and shy, but sheâs a human dynamo when it comes to getting things done.
The 64-year-old retired teacher from Dartmouth, married to husband Leo for 33 years, suffered from ulcerative colitis for six years before she finally convinced doctors that she needed, and desperately wanted, an ileostomy done so she could have an improved quality of life.
âMy gastroenterologist had me on prednisone but it wasnât really working well for me,â Alyson recalls. âFinally, much of what I was eating was pureed and life wasnât great. I went to an information session with a group of gastroenterologists in Halifax and one surgeon suggested the operation would be better than staying on drugs. My doctor finally agreed, and the surgery was done in 2004.â
Alyson says sheâs never regretted a minute. With no other health issues, she had a good recovery.
When Ann Ray, an Ostomy visitor of the Metro Halifax chapter, stopped in, Alyson was convinced to join. âI didnât know people with ileostomies or urostomies, and had heard a bit of colostomies, but I went to the first meeting I could after I left hospital.â
The chapter is forever grateful. Alyson, even though benefiting from meeting new people and learning from their experiences, pitched in immediately. She quickly became the refreshments coordinator, assisted on the chapterâs 35th anniversary committee and 2009 World Ostomy Day Committee , plus her ability and love for knitting and crocheting has meant a boon to chapter fundraising as she prepares quilts and other items for raffle. Her input has helped raise more than $1,000 in the last two years.
Even though she retired from elementary school teaching a dozen years ago, Alyson is never idle. She plays piano, knits, crochets, bowls in a regular league and bakes constantly.
âIâm never bored,â she says, eagerly anticipating starting another streak of attending Ostomy meetings, one broken by a major snowstorm January 9, 2011, after six years of never missing one. âIâve learned so much, met wonderful people who gave me a sense of togetherness, everyone so friendly and nice. At that first meeting, I just felt we all had something in common and that never stops.â
Alyson brings Leo to every meeting (âI signed him as a member, too,â she says) and heâs now the main greeter at the door. âHeâs shyer than me but he enjoys meeting people and talking with them. I think I can get him more involved, too.â
