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	July 2004 47th Year No7 Internet Edition Page 3 Click below for Page 1 Page 2 Page 4 Page 5 Home

Tireless HIV Crusader Inspires Awe

Dr. Susan King fights
the disease nobody wants to talk about

Jerry Langton
Special to The Star
Taken from: “Toronto Star”
Thursday June 3, 2004

Dr. Susan King is an incredibly imposing person. She’s witty and easy to get along with. She’s not a big person and. she uses a wheelchair since developing Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease).
But there is something about her focus, her drive, her intensity, her simple ability through force of will to get things done that inspires awe. Sitting with Dr. King makes you wonder what you’ve done with your own life.
Such respect doesn’t come without accomplishment. “Nobody has done more for women and children with HIV than Susan King said Dr. Lindy Samson, program director of infectious diseases at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario in Ottawa. Dr. Samson should know. She was trained by King at The Hospital for Sick Children when paediatric HIV was just beginning to appear in Canada.
Paediatric HIV infection was a neglected part of the whole HIV/AIDS spectrum,” King said. “People didn’t want to talk about it, there was just such a huge stigma attached to it that I felt like I had to become an advocate for those who couldn’t or wouldn’t speak for themselves - somebody had to.”
King never wanted to speak for anyone; she wanted to be a doctor. I chose to study infectious diseases because I liked
‘Nobody has done more for women and children with HIV than Susan King’
Dr. Lindy Samson, program director, infectious diseases, Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario
the idea of curing someone,” King said. ‘And I chose paediatrics because I liked the idea that if you help a child, you’re giving them many more years of life!’
She was, by her own recollection, ill - suited to take up the banner for any cause. “I was very quiet and introspective,” she said. In 1988, they gave all of us on the HIV team media training and I thought ‘I’ll never need that, I’ll never be on TV!’
Less than two years later, King was appearing on live TV answering heated questions on controversial topics at what she calls “huge press conferences!’ Despite it all, the introvert has not completely gone away. “Being in the public eye has never been my idea of fun,” she admitted.
She handled it well. Under King’s guidance, huge strides were made in Canada for the treatment of children and pregnant women with HIV. Levels of testing skyrocketed, transmission rates plummeted and people heard about paediatric HIV whether they wanted to or not. “Many people thought it was better to leave the topic alone - politicians were the worst,” she said. “But I would want to know if my child was at risk!’
She was right. A1992 CBC story on her findings that HIV infection is possible from blood transfusions prompted strong public reaction. ‘There were so many calls, they blew the hospitals switchboard,” King recalls.
And it wasn’t just what she did as an advocate, but what she did as a researcher and doctor. ‘We never had much money,” King said. ‘What the Centre for Disease Control in Atlanta does with $1 million, we had to do with $1,000, volunteers and goodwill!’
She worked just as hard as a doctor as she did as a researcher and advocate. If I didn’t work as a clinician, being with, the people we were trying to help every day, I don’t think my research would have been possible,” she said.
“Susan King put Canadian paediatric HIV research on the map,” said Dr. Ron Gold, retired director of the infectious diseases department at Sick Kids.
“The way she dealt with so many uptight people in the hospital, all the political and legal issues, and still be an excellent researcher and clinician was just remarkable!”
Just how remarkable is hard to describe. One Friday evening in 1987, after a full day as a resident in the infectious diseases department, she handed in her pager. Saturday morning, she had a baby. On Wednesday, with newborn in tow, she presented a research paper at a conference.
“I didn’t want to waste any time,” she said. “My being a resident and wanting a family was not well received, so I felt I had to work a little harder.
“Once we were able to prevent transmission of HIV from an infected mother to her child, we knew what was necessary was more testing:” King said.
“We, could bring the transmission rate below 1 per cent if we knew in advance - paediatric HIV is preventable, but only if the mother knows she’s infected!”
HIV testing in pregnant women soon became a quest for King. “Most mothers want to be tested;” she said. “Those who don’t say it could jeopardize their immigration or relationship status. But they should get tested, an HIV infection will come out anyway so it’s better to know while you’re pregnant. That way you have a chance to protect your baby.”
Although her battle with ALS has forced her into a form of retirement, King continues her research and activism from home.
“It simply has to be done,” she said. “I regret I can no longer work as a clinician, but 1 have to make sure others carry on,”
Her determination in the face of a terminal disease comes as no surprise, considering that, faced with excess free time while on sabbatical, she took up running marathons.
“It was great, but 1 used to have to change, into my running gear while driving up Yonge St.,” she said, as though it were what anyone would do after a long day saving lives. “Time was tight,” she offered in explanation.
In return for her tireless and effective work, the hospital is holding a tribute dinner “to honour one of Canada’s most inspiring medical doctors.” Donations will help establish a respite house in Toronto for paediatric HIV patients.
“Many people would raise funds for the disease that is affecting themselves,” King said. 1’d rather be remembered for the contributions I’ve made in an area I've worked for years.

Auxiliary Bishop of Baltimore,
Appointed New Bishop
of Mandeville

Bishop Gordon D. Bennett, S.J., Auxiliary Bishop of Baltimore, USA has been appointed Bishop of Mandeville in succession to Bishop Paul Boyle, C.P. who has retired. Fifty-seven years old, Bishop Bennett was born in Denver, Colorado and studied at the Jesuit School of Theology, Berkeley, California, and at Fordham University, New York.
He made his first vows with the Jesuits in 1966 and was ordained a priest in June 1975. He holds master’s degrees in theology and education. He was serving as president of Loyola High School in Los Angeles when he was named auxiliary bishop of Baltimore in December 1997. Bishop Bennett will be installed as Bishop of Mandeville on September 26.
Meanwhile, the Episcopal ordination of Bishop-Elect Emmanuel Lafont of Cayenne will take place on August 29, 2004.
From 1996 to 2002 he was back in France as National Director of the Pontifical Missionary Societies and Secretary to the Episcopal Commission for Universal Mission and for the Episcopal Committee for Missionary Co-operation in France.
From 2003 until the present he has been parish priest in Langeais and Dean of the North West Deanery of the Archdiocese of Tours.

Cayenne Gets
New Bishop

A recent communiqué from the Papal Nuncio in Trinidad, Archbishop Emil Paul Tscherrig, informs us that the Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, has appointed Most Rev. Louis Sankale, until now Bishop of Cayenne, French Guyana, as Coadjutor Bishop of Nice in France.
At the same time the Holy Father nominated Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Lafont, of the clergy of the Archdiocese of Tours in France, as Bishop of Cayenne.
Monsignor Lafont was born on October 26, 1945 in Paris and ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Tours in France on August 2nd 1970.
He pursued higher studies first at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome and then at the Pontifical Biblical Institute from 1970 to 1973.
He worked in the parish of St. Francis de Paola in Tours from 1973 to 1974.
He was chaplain to High Schools in the centre of Tours from 1974 to 1977.
He was chaplain to the Archdiocesan and Regional Movements for Working Youth from 1977 to 1983.
From 1983 to 1996 he served as a Fidei Donum priest in the Diocese of Johannesburg, South Africa, where he was chaplain to the Diocesan and Regional Movements for Working Youth, parish priest in St. Philip Neri Parish in Soweto, and professor in the National Seminary of St. Peter in Pretoria, being Vice-Rector from 1994 to 1996.

A Special Tribute to Our Beloved Sister Ms. Ruby Yorke
“And that Inverted Bowl We Call the Sky,
Lift Not Our Hands To It For Help,
For It Rolls Importantly On, As Thou Or I”
Omar Khayam
by
Gregor W. Granderson
friend in New York

Fellow St. Lucians:
Words come with difficulty at a time like this. None of us is able to express how we really feel. Death has claimed the life of our dear and precious Mary Eustace Ruby Rita Yorke (MERRY). She was a unique, precious individual. I share this great loss with the whole family, especially with her Aunts Audrey and Cecile; Uncle-in-law Henry; all her relatives and numerous friends at home and overseas. Our hope is strengthened by our trust in God. Who assures us that he can and does sustain us. Love for one another reaches a new high, as we got together to mourn, and to bring someone we love, to final rest, and thank God for sharing his life with us, through Ruby.
None of us liveth to himself and no more dies to himself. We liveth unto the Lord, so then, whether we live or wherefore we die, we are the Lord’s. Now those we hold most dear, never truly leave us; they live on in the kindness they showed and the love they brought into our lives. Yes - Ruby was indeed very, very special - admirable; unselfish; nurturing; dedicated. Her very being, brought tremendous joy and relief, to everyone that might have

been fortunate to know her. The essence of humility and self sacrifice. Never too busy to lend a helping hand. Ruby saw the good in all people and gave so much, yes, so much from her heart and of course, asked for nothing in return. Need I say more?
One of God’s greatest commandments is: “love thy neighbour as yourself;” love your parents; love the children and even love your enemies. The word of God gives a clear cut, yet very profound definition for “love”. One which escapes many people. However, Ruby not only understood the word, she lived the word; she talked the word and in my eyes, was the epitome of the word. The word of God says that love is giving, and Ruby gave -she gave of herself tirelessly; she gave of her time, freely; and she gave of her resources, abundantly. The word of God says that precious in God’s eyes is the passing of a Saint; as precious as Ruby is to God now, so was she precious to us during her time on earth.
Family and friends, please rest in

the knowledge that love lives on forever, in the memories, in the stories and in the hearts of all of us, whose lives have been touched by a very special person, our dear friend - Ruby Yorke.
Sometimes, it’s so very hard to understand why some things have to be. Why Ruby? But in his wisdom, God has planned beyond our power to

see. So looking back in tenderness along the road we trod, we will cherish the time we had with our dear sister, RUBY, and leave the rest to God.
Now in ending, let me leave you with these thoughts: There’s an open gate at the end of the road, through which each and every one of us, must go - alone:
We know not WHEN; We know not WHERE; We know not WHY; We know not HOW.
And there in a light we cannot see, our Father has claimed his own. Now, beyond this gate, our dear one finds happiness and rest, and there in comfort in the thought, that a loving God, knows best.
Family and friends; be strong; keep the faith. Believe you me. Ruby is not dead; she is resting, yes she is resting in the bosom of the Lord. Ruby, we will all miss you, tremendously - REST IN PEACE.

Eulogy For Ruby Yorke
by Ruth Theobalds

Kurl Yorke’s precious gemstone, her Ruby, has gone to meet her, Mother and Daughter together again.
But for those of us left here, she left us so suddenly, so swiftly, that even those of us who were aware of her last two months of illness, were taken off guard. She left us no time to visit, nor share a joke, or plan or reminisce. And above all no time to express our appreciation for the energy she exuded in all she did, no time to say thanks for the multiple interventions she made in our lives, in our organizations, in our Saint Lucian Society.
So now we must take the time to “Celebrate” the life of Ruby Yorke, a consummate citizen of Saint Lucia, and recall with joy the many avenues she took during her life to contribute to the betterment of all of us and our society.
Ruby did not approach anything in life with half measures, it was all or nothing. This was evident from her Convent days, when she not only was active in sports but also in the St. Josephs Convent Carnival every year. On leaving school she went into teaching at Ave Maria School after the major fire that destroyed much of the school and caused very uncomfortable and crowded conditions until new premises were built. One of her first classrooms was literally, a shed, and a very hot one at that. Her professional path in the classroom seemed clear and following In-Service Teacher Training locally, she went to Erdiston College in Barbados for her first stint of overseas training. Back at Ave Maria for a while and then off to UWI Mona for the Teachers Certificate Course. She eventually returned to Mona for a full degree in the mid 60’s majoring in what was to become her life’s work, Early Childhood Education.
On her return she began teaching at the Teachers College, but was soon invited to return to Mona to assist with the establishment of the University’s Early Childhood Education Training Centre. She served there for some 15 months and on her recall to Saint Lucia began the establishment of the Government’s Pre-School Unit. For the balance of her professional career, this was her passion and her task.
Those few years at UWI were certainly not all work and no play! From all reports, Ruby Yorke was one of the most active women on campus during the 63/64 period, representing her residence, Irving Hall, in a wide range of sporting, cultural and religious activities. She proudly displayed her Saint Lucian origins in national dress when the occasion warranted, and made sure that the three peaks on the top of her head declared her single status!
Back in Saint Lucia, the range of her involvements was extensive. With her mother, Kurl, she was active in the Horticultural Society, she played netball and assisted in the organization of that sport. Carnival did not see her silent nor at home, but a vibrant member of a band, a judge for a show, or in some other capacity. An active member of the CYO for many years, she was instrumental in the organization of Talent Shows, and the Annual CYO Week, and eventually served as Chairperson of the Culture Committee.
Never one to desert her first love, the children who needed support the most, she used her spare time to work with Dunnottar and the support group which set up that school. Later, much more recently, she transferred that gift of giving to LUSAVE, as a hard working Chairperson, daily at the office, and bearing the frequent burden of the terrible situations within which not just a few of our children can be found. And burdens they were, that troubled her deeply, particularly when solutions could not be readily found.
In the early seventies, an opportunity to further her career came through the pursuit of a Masters of Arts Degree from the University of Alberta, Canada, which was awarded in 1973 for a thesis on Pre-School Oral Language and the Implications for a Language Programme in Saint Lucia.
Through all of this professional development and her work, Ruby found so much time for her other interests, and we have all been blessed by her participation in many organizations. She was an avid member of the Bonsai Society, served for several recent years on the M&C Fine Arts Awards Performing Arts Judging Committee, and for the last two years as Chair of that committee. In this capacity, she was responsible for the Presentation Evenings as well as the Judging. In hindsight, what a joy to recall her performance on stage as “Argia” in the Extract from “Queen and the Rebels” during the Presentation Evening just a few years ago.
Theatre was one of her earliest and longest lasting loves, and she was considered a most disciplined actress. She joined the Arts Guild in the late 50’s, related well with her young peers as well as the more seasoned actors and directors, and was, as reported by one director, a most encouraging person to work with on stage. In addition to the lead role in “Queen and the Rebels” for which she won the Best Actress award that year, she is also remembered for other stage performances, including “Strictly Matrimony”. Following the Arts Guild demise, she found herself drawn to the stage again at the Lighthouse Theatre and performed in distinctive roles up to a few years ago.
Ruby’s final contribution to the Arts and Culture was as the representative for the Theatre Arts on the Board of Directors of the Cultural Development Foundation. There she helped chart the way for this new organization, in addition to ensuring that the Board dotted its “i’s” and crossed its “t’s” and every bit of grammar and punctuation was perfect!
Throughout all of the above, two themes flowed like golden threads through Ruby Yorke’s life, her Church and her La Rose. With a name like Ruby, it was inevitable that she affiliate to La Woz, and affiliate is a mild word for the contagion she spread and the contribution she made to sustaining and developing this unique Flower Festival. She wore her broadest grin when dressed in her red dwiette and waving her rose.
Staunch in her faith, she was an ardent lay person, assisting where and when necessary, and for the most recent years, in her parish, the Monastery at Coubaril, and assisting the nuns with the Chronicle.
“If Only” are wishing words, but necessary here and now, “If Only” we had had the time to say “Thank You” for all you have done, and “If Only” Saint Lucia had more Ruby’s, what a better place this would be!

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