Mentor
Webster’s dictionary defines a “mentor” as a trusted counsel or guide. We each need a mentor to help us avoid reinventing the wheel during our lives and to give us some balance.
On December 11th, I lost my mentor in the practice of Law in Tennessee. Tom was over 80 and not in good health. Nonetheless, word of the loss was unexpected, at least by me.
Upon hearing the bad news, I went into action to make sure former work colleagues were made aware so they could make arrangements to attend the funeral or otherwise extend sympathies to his wonderful family. The funeral was well attended at an old church in an authentic service that was led by a priest who said my colleague mentored him and not vice versa … I believe that since my colleague was so authentically kind, and insightful of human nature. As a lawyer with 50 years of experience, Tom used to say, “As long as there is human nature, there will always be a need for lawyers!”
It is Christmas time. We have mentors in the Duchenne community. Their mentoring is a great gift to us who have much of the journey in front of us.
Sharing parents of one or more Duchenne children are the best source of perspective. The leaders of the few non-profits that make a difference certainly help.
The leadership of for-profit pharmaceutical companies, well, maybe not so much.
God bless the hard and smart working lab clinicians who are the point of the spear with respect to identifying scientific opportunities to cure or at least significantly mitigate the horrible experience of Duchenne.
Senator Marsha Blackburn and other national lawmakers are focused on budgeting public funding towards ridding Americans of rare diseases that are dream killers. Duchenne is among those targets. More needs to be done.
To my former partner, friend and mentor … thank you for your kindness, humor and wisdom and may your soul rest in peace (as I know it will).
To those fighting Duchenne, let’s identify, even become, mentors for the cause of curing Duchenne and make future Christmas observations even more appreciated.
Kindly yours,
Papa in Franklin