June 13, 2020 Issue, Page 4 of 8

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Page 4 The Elk City News, Elk City, Oklahoma Saturday, June 13, 2020 “ElkCituNews American innovation Opinion Page helps patients beat Serving Western Oklahoma since 1901 Alzheimer’s takes it toll on sufferers, families coronavirus companies and their inves- By Kenneth E. Thorpe and nearly two million have one of the first COVID-19 By Don Munsch, Editor American scientists are tested positive forthe disease. tors will only roll the dice spending packages. The pro- “Do you know who this is?” working furiously to devel- Patients with chronic dis- on novel research projects vision would have allowed My mother spoke the words to my father, who was sit- op treatments for the novel eases are particularly vul- if they have a chance of re- the government to dictate ting across from me in the nursing home cafeteria. coronavirus, | COVID-19. nerable. Forty percent of couping their development the price of any COVID-19 No group of patients needs a hospitalized COVID-19 losses and earning a return. vaccine that resulted from He didn’t say my name. He didn’t really know me by vaccine more than those with patients have some type Because the United States the emergency funding. that point. chronic conditions. Patients of cardiovascular or cere- fairly values medicines, sci- Congress wisely stripped Everyone with a loved one suffering from Alzheimer’s with just one chronic disease brovascular disease. Other entists have a strong incen- out that provision, which disease knows there will come a day in which the sufferer who contract COVID-19 chronic conditions -- like ar- tive to launch research proj- would have discouraged in- might no longer recognize family members. My brother are 80 percent more likely thritis, diabetes, and cancer ects here. All told, American vestments into COVID-19 told me about one incident with our father in which our dad to experience a “poor out- -- could make it harder for firms develop half of the cures, vaccines, and thera- asked him this question one day: “Who is that woman?” come” -- like hospitalization the body to fight the virus. world’s new medicines. pies. Congress’ decision is Our dad was referring to his wife and our mother. or death -- than those with- But our scientists will rise Researchers tend to flee great news for every Ameri- That interaction between my parents and me came last out any chronic conditions, to this challenge and inventcountries whose govern- can hoping for a COVID-19 year. My father died in February after a long battle with according to recent studies. new therapies, just as they ments arbitrarily cap prices vaccine, especially those Alzheimer’s disease. Fortunately for Americans have countless times in the of new medicines. Consider living with chronic disease. The insidious nature of Alzheimer’s causes someone to living with chronic disease, past. Heart disease death that in the 1970s, Europe pro- COVID-19 poses an enor- the United States leads the rates have declined 36 per- duced more than half of the mous threat to American lose a loved one twice: During the life of the sufferer, when world in medical innova- cent since 2000, largely world’s new medicines. But society — but our smart- he or she no longer recognizes family members and or can- tion. As long as policymak- thanks to new and better throughout the 1980s, many est scientists are already not communicate any longer, and then, obviously, natural ers protect this innovation medicines. Similarly, can- European countries imposed on the case. Let’s hope our death. ecosystem, U.S. scientists cer death rates have declined increasingly strict price con- policymakers don’t put any Next week, on Friday, I will participate in a walk at the will surely produce vaccines 27 percent since the 1990s. trols on drugs. As a result, stumbling blocks along their Alzheimer’s Longest Day Fundraiser in Elk City. The walk and treatments relatively Health gains like this come today Europe produces only path to a cure -- whether will be at Ackley Park and comes a couple of days before quickly -- and keep our na- at a hefty price. It takes up 33 percent of all new drugs. for coronavirus or any Father’s Day. Next week also will be the Paint the Town tion healthy through this to 15 years and $2.6 bil- Unfortunately, some law- other dangerous disease. Purple activity in Elk City in which businesses will deco- crisis and for years to come. lion to develop just one makers want to implement Kenneth E. Thorpe is a rate their space in purple and do specials and sales, among Americans are rightly wor- new medicine. And only 12 similar price controls in the professor of health policy at other activities. The fundraiser, conducted by the Western tied about COVID-19. More percent of drugs that begin United States. A few mem- Emory University and chair- than 100,000 Americans clinical trials ever make it bers of Congress attempted man of the Partnership to Oklahoma Alzheimer’s Collaborative, seeks to advance have died from COVID-19 to pharmacy shelves. Drug to slip a price control into Fight Chronic Disease. the care, support and research efforts of the Alzheimer’s Organization issues Association. Most people know Alzheimer’s is a terrible disease, as many people with Alzheimer’s can suffer for years with decreased cognitive abilities and other notable symptoms and signs of the disease. My dad was no different. challenge for census He entered a nursing home in 2017 after living in our family home for 40 years. His first symptoms presented a few years earlier. He often requested to return home after being placed in a nursing home, but he needed to be in a place where his needs could be met 24-7. From the OICA We hope communities counted in the census. public.tableau.com/pro- Alzheimer’s ravages feature a well-known paradox: The The Oklahoma Institute with local school rivals So you know, the deadline file/us.census.bureau#!/ sufferer struggles with short-term memory but can recall for Child Advocacy recently will take up this challenge. for responding to the census vizhome/2020CensusSelf- issued our “Census Com- Last week, OICA emailed has been delayed. Census ResponseRankings/Rank- — or can seem to recall — activities or events from years munity Challenge” in the every school administrator self-response will end Octo- ingsDashboard and _ click or decades before. I recall one time about five or six years spirit of Bedlam to encour- and teacher in the state. We ber 31, instead of the original Oklahoma in the “select a ago in which my father told me about the time he and his age local towns and cities to asked them to work on this date of July 31. Many house- state” box to show those re- buddies went to Fort Worth to see country musician Hank initiate competition between over the summer and have holds in Oklahoma have not sults. Together, we hope to Williams perform in the early 1950s. He had never told me rival communities. an official competition with received paperwork through have fun with the challenge that story before. He also could relate stories about his time The cities of Tulsa and the beginning of the new the mail or by drop-off at and make a difference for in the service in the 1950s with seeming ease. Oklahoma City have been school year in August and doorsteps yet. If you do not Oklahoma by ensuring ev- My father and I bonded through sports, and we watched doing something similar announce the winner at the want to wait, you can go to eryone is counted! a countless number of Dallas Cowboys and Texas A&M for several months. It has basketball game between the https://my2020census.gov/ This week’s child advo- football games over the years, to go along with other pro, helped the effort: as of June rivals in the next season. We and respond online without cate is the Honorable Ben college and high school football games. And we watched 8, Oklahoma City had an are working with the Okla- your Census ID. Visit the Robinson. The sponsored other sports as well. estimated 59.7% response homa Municipal League online form and select “Start statistic is: In the most re- rate, while Tulsa had 57.8%. to involve the mayors and Questionnaire.” Below the We also had some musical tastes in common, including cent data available, Okla- Currently, the national re- municipal councils to work ID field, choose the link that some classic rock, my favorite genre of music. In my adult sponse rate is at 60.7%, with with the local school district says, “If you do not have a homa ranked 8th nationally life, I have purchased cassette and CD copies of The Beach Oklahoma as a whole show- also. We have asked the su- Census ID, click here.” for instructional days lost Boys’ “Endless Summer,” a greatest hits compilation. My ing a 54.2% rate, which is perintendent or the mayor to If you prefer to visit with due to out-of-school suspen- dad had an eight-track of “Endless Summer” back in the sions for African-American 44th in the nation. email us at [email protected] someone from the US Cen- day. He might have had the vinyl version of that release, students. Participation in the census to let us know of the official sus via phone, you can call The Oklahoma Institute too. is vital as it means federal challenge locally. one of their customer ser- Some other fond memories we built include camping dollars coming to Oklahoma We also need your help vice representatives. They for Child Advocacy was es- to reach out to your school are available every day tablished in 1983 by afellow trips, youth baseball games and the time my dad made me at an estimated $1,700 per person per year for ten years and government officials from 7 a.m. to 2 a.m. East- group of citizens seeking to acar for the Pinewood Derby when I was in Cub Scouts. In my adult life, we visited Capulin Volcano National Mon- for programs funded by to encourage them to take em Time on the following create a strong advocacy population numbers. Cen- this seriously. To make it phone lines: network that would pro- ument in New Mexico one year when I was working in vide a voice for the needs of Amarillo, And I can’t forget the time I called my dad after sus participation helps keep more interesting, OICA English: 844-330-2020 state taxes at a lower rate. will donate a cash award to Spanish: 844-468-2020 children and youth in Okla- the Texas Rangers clinched their first World Series appear- homa, particularly those in By answering the census, the school district with the Or for another language, ance in 2010. you protect federal funding best improvement in cen- go to https://2020census. the state’s care and those I will always miss my dad. Sports, music and childhood for programs such as Soon- sus response from when the gov/en/contact-us.html for growing up amid poverty, and adulthood events have a way of triggering memories of erCare, Title I schools, as challenge began last month. that list of numbers. violence, abuse and neglect, better days gone by. For those family members left behind well as for road and bridge We hope this helps students For a list of where each disparities or other situa- after Alzheimer’s disease runs its course, you can always construction and mainte- understand they also should Oklahoma community and tions that put their lives and savor memories. nance. join; students should also be county ranks, go to https:// future at risk. Send your editorial to [email protected]