Celebrities to contribute to
When the collection plate is passed around Sunday at Campbell Street Church of Christ, the quiet rustle of envelopes, checks and cash will mean that Dianne Odell of Jackson will still have home health care three months from now.
Odell, 57, one of the nation's oldest living polio survivors in an iron lung, has funds being handled by the West Tennessee Healthcare Foundation, but they are critically low. She is listed on more than 600 Internet sites and is known worldwide.
Actor and director James Keach and actress Jane Seymour have offered a challenge.
''If we raise $30,000, they will give $10,000,'' said Dr. Ralph Johnson, who works on the Benevolent Committee of Campbell Street Church of Christ. ''We've invited the Bemis Church of Christ, Skyline Church of Christ, Madison County Church of Christ and North Jackson Church of Christ to participate. That would be a total gift of $40,000 from all churches if we match the gift.''
''It is wonderful of James Keach to offer that,'' said Odell, speaking from her iron lung at home. ''The funds are getting really low. This will put a dent in it.''
Odell said her family originally belonged to East Jackson Church of Christ. That church no longer exists, but Odell remembers it well.
''Dad was on the building committee, and mother, too. People would come to our house to meet and eat. It was part of our hearts,'' Odell said.
They are now members of the Campbell Street Church of Christ, but there are also many other members from the previous church who are scattered at other churches and wanted to help Odell, Johnson said.
Frank McMeen, president of West Tennessee Healthcare Foundation, said this offer comes at a crucial time.
''It made us a little concerned that we would run out and not be able to care for her. Libby Murphy (manager of Murphy Tractor Co. and longtime Democratic fund-raiser) is close friends with Jane Seymour and James Keach and they said they would like to do this,'' McMeen said.
McMeen explained that Medicaid kicks in and takes care of Dianne Odell's medical care if she is ill.
''But these funds are needed for normal care, bathing her, feeding her, those kinds of things,'' McMeen said.
Both Freeman and Geneva Odell, Dianne's parents, are up in years and not able to take care of Dianne like they used to.
''We've had to increase our assistance,'' McMeen said.
Geneva Odell said she was so thankful for local church people.
''It certainly is a wonderful thing the churches are trying to do,'' she said. ''I don't know what we'd do without them.''
Johnson said he spoke with Keach and thanked him for improving Dianne's life.
''He told me, 'We're doing this because we want to.' They are so delighted to be able to help.''
James Keach and Jane Seymour are out of the country and couldn't be reached for comment.
- Jacque Hillman, 425-9679
To donate
- If you would like to donate to Dianne Odell's home health care funds, call the West Tennessee Healthcare Foundation at (731) 660-8770.
- To offer a donation through the Campbell Street Church of Christ, call (731) 427-9511. Or attend Sunday services at 9 a.m. at the church, 1490 Campbell St. in Jackson.
©jacksonsunnews.
More about Diane Odell
The last iron lungs
On 17 February Associated Press USA ran a story, Woman Spends
51 Years in Iron Lung. It tells of Diane Odell of Tennessee who contracted
bulbo-spinal polio aged 3 and still uses a 7-foot long, 750-pound iron
lung. Iron lungs were first used in 1928 but by the late 1950s were largely
replaced by positive-pressure airway ventilators. Production of iron lungs
ceased in the USA about a decade ago. The manager of a Pittsburgh company
that manufactures home ventilators is quoted as saying that only about
75 to 100 are still in use today ... In some cases they are not used all
the time. About 200 iron lungs exist that can be recirculated among people
who need them. Diane can speak when breathing out. She uses 'sip and blow'
switches that allow her to operate a television. Using a voice-activated
computer she wrote a children's book, Less Light, which is the story of
a tiny star named Blinky who dreams of becoming a wishing star. Diane is
currently writing her autobiography because she wants to show children,
especially those with physical disabilities, that they should never give
up. 'Its amazing what you can accomplish if you see someone do the same
thing' she said. Diane obtained her high school diploma working from home
and has an honorary college degree. Her parents and married sisters care
for her. Recently a fund-raising gala event attended by 1,100 people including
Al Gore, the former Vice-President, raised $US110,000 to establish a foundation
that will care for Diane when her parents are unable to do so. She attended
the event in her iron lung that was draped with an American flag. She wore
a sequined dress and tiara. Diane said she feels blessed with good friends
and a good family, and she is thankful. 'I've had a good life'.
Post-Polio Network (NSW) Inc Network News Issue 54, June 2002