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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLou Baum News Articles 2001-2003DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE / OF c;P- MAYOR CITYCOUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRIM HENNIG MCKAMIE DELA CRUZ RIDGWAY YOUNG HEROLD COLLINS GETCHELL LIBRARYADMIN LIBRARYREF ANIMAL CNTR DATEDISTRIBUTED t2 - 9- d I DATE OFARTICLE o2 ' do - D NEWSPAPER FWST Lou Baum of Euless will receive a national award for his service to children during -a --- ceremony Tuesday in New York. He helps sick children and their parents travel outside the Metroplex for medical assistance. Special to the Star -Telegram/ RICHARD W. RODRIGUEZ Euless man honore&for aiding sick. children By STEVE STEIN Star -Telegram Staff Writer EULESS -The birthday party Lou and Vicki Baum gave their daughter, Catherine, who turned 16 on Tuesday, was not much different than similar celebra- tions for girls her age. . For the Baums, it was a day to be thankful that their daughter is alive. She has arginino succinic aciduria, an extremely rare liver disease that almost The determined father is motivated after his daughter receives life-saving help for a rare liver disease. took her life when she was born in 1985. Events that helped the Baums' newborn receive treatment and survive led them to form The World Life Foundation. The organization has provided free transporta- tion and other services to more than 600 children with rare diseases who needed treatment outside the Metroplex. "It's something we really wanted to do for families that called us," Lou Baum, 63, said about the Euless -based foundation. On Tuesday at the Museum of Televi- sion and Radio in New York, the nonprof- it National Child Labor Committee will (More on BAUM on Page IOB) DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE C-1— OF CZ MAYOR CITYCOUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRIM HENNIG MCKAMIE DELA CRUZ RIDGWAY YOUNG HEROLD COLLINS GETCHELL LIBRARYADMIN LIBRARYREF ANIMAL CNTR DATE DISTRIB UTED c:2 ` / - D J DATE OF ARTICLE o2 " S' - 6 / NEWSPAPER FWST From Page 113 ;;;.,present Lou Baum with the Lewis Hine Award for his service to e—t:hildren and youths. was a photographer in the Executive Director Jefftey New- man said. Saleh and her husband, Ray, will attend the ceremony at the committee's request. "I'm very careful with any nominations that come across my desk," Saleh said. "But Lou has done so much for children." Baum's nonprofit foundation has been successful because he persuaded American and Conti- nental airlines, Angel Flight and some private pilots to provide free flights for children with rare dis- eases and their parents to visit medical facilities outside the Metroplex. The organization began after Catherine went into a coma at a Dallas hospital and was near death. The Baums learned that a children's early 1900s who used his camera to make the public aware of the abuses of child labor in the United States. The child labor committee learned about the Baums' work through Euless Mayor Mary Lib Saleh, who was asked to nomi- nate a volunteer for the presti- hospital in Denver offered a urine test that might be able to pinpoint their daughter's illness. A sample had to be flown to the hospital, and there was little time to. spare. Baum called American Airlines and asked to speak to then -Chief Executive Officer Robert Cran- dall, who retired in 1998. Baum said that after listening to his desperate but persuasive plea, Crandall said, "Let me take care of everything." - After the test, the Denver hos- pital told Catherine's doctor, metabolic specialist Charles Mize, who is now retired, that the infant had a rare liver disease and that protein, including the protein in breast milk and formula, was poi- son to her system: After Catherine responded to a How to help To reach The World Life Foundation, call toll free to (800) 289-5433. gious award. Five people from more than 300 nominations will receive the award, committee President and treatment and a new diet, Mize suggested that the Baums start a foundation to help other children. The foundation now serves North America and 27 other coun- tries. The Baums have managed the foundation on nights and week- ends for years. Lou Baum is pres- ident and chairman, and Vicki Baum, who has multiple sclerosis, is vice president. Lou Baum is one of the "unheralded and unsung heroes that work with children," New- man said Wednesday. Baum is being honored, Newman said, "because of his pioneering cre- ativity on behalf of young people and families in need." Steve Stein; (817) 685-3877 sestein @star -telegram, coin DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE OFJ_ MAYOR CITY COUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRIM HENNIG MCEAMIE DE LA CRUZ RIDGWAY YOUNG HEROLD COLLINS GETCHELL LIBRARYADMIN LIBRARYREF ANIMAL CNTR DATE DISTRIBUTED oZ - /lo - ®1 DATE OFARTICLE a -I ®D I NEWSPAPER DMN Eu foundation I . first met Mr. Baum in the - less man's spring of 1997 at Rocky Top Ther- el*%s ® kids apy Center in Keller, where his daughter, Catherine, attends week ty therapeutic horseback riding Not many chairmen of the board answer their organizations' 1- __ 800 lines person- ally, 24-7. But that is . , exactly, what Y Euless volunteer ROQUEMORE Lou Baum has been doing since 1991 when he founded the World Life Foundation. The foundation has helped thou- sands of parents of children with rare, disorders access doctors, researchers and treatment facilities. It also serves as A resource for doctors and other medical professionals seeking informa- tion about thousands of obscure disor- ders, and it arranges free transportation for children and their families needing to travel anywhere in the world to re- ceive medical treatment. Mr. Baum and his wife, Vicki, are headed to New York City this week to accept a prestigious award from the National Child Labor Committee. Eu- less Mayor Mary Lib Saleh, who nomi- nated Mr. Baum for the award, also will be on hand for the awards ceremony. Please see EULESS, 6S. Colorado. Shortly thereafter, Catherine re- ceived a diagnosis of a liver dis- ease so rare that only 35 people in the world are known to have it. Al- though she suffered some brain damage, Catherine is now a happy, active teenager. The experience led Mr. Baum to find a way to help other parents find information and access health care for their children with rare ill- nesses. He had been running the foundation for almost a decade when he was recently named one of only five private citizens in the country to receive the NCLC's 2001 Lewis Hine Award for Ser- vice to Children and Youth. "It was a total surprise," Mr. Baum said. "I'm just overwhelmed and honored and very humbled that we were even considered. We do the work very quietly, and we're not in it for the fanfare. We're just in it to help kids and families." One of the most important ser- vices the foundation provides is placing families dealing with the same diagnosis together, so they can console, support and share in- formation with one another. sessions. What I didn't know then was that Catherine was the inspira- tion for the foundation that has helped so many. Shortly after she was.bom 16 years ago, Catherine lapsed.into a coma and doctors could not ex- plain why. After learning about a lab in Denver that could perform a special test, Mr. Baum called American Airlines and managed to get Robert Crandall on the line, convincing the CEO at the time to arrange an emergency flight to Mr. Baum said his foundation is often a last resort for parents des- perately seeking help. If you or someone you know needs help for a sick child, call 1-800-289-LIFE (5433). Mr. Baum is ready to take the call. If you have information you wish to share, call Amy Roque - more at 817-410-9602, ext. 4965. You can fax the informa= tion to 817-442-5931 or mail it to 1256 Main St., Suite 278, Southlake,.TX76092. E-mail can be sent to aroquemore@dallas- news.com. DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE I OF MAYOR- CITY COUNCIL----- CITYATTORNEY CRIM IIENNIG MCKAMIE - --,DE-LA CRUZ RIDGIVAY - YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS 1YILHITE GETCHELL LIBRAR Y ADMIN LIBRARY REF ANIt11AL CNTR DATEDISTRIBUTED `r ,;ze/&3 DATE, OFARTICLE --2—/2S/v3 NEIVSPAPER FWST 5 volunteer stars saluted for efforts s Five people from Northeast Tarrant County are honored for their work, ranging from providing clothes and food to victims of abuse to helping find money for ill children without health insurance. By TERRY LEE GOODRICH STAR -TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER Brenda Jackson was a young bride when her husband bashed her with,a shotgun, leaving her to crawl, bleeding,, to a friend's house. Jackson divorced him and married a kinder man, but the North Richland Hills woman didn't forget her..past. Today, she and her husband, Vern Jack- son, spread love to abused women, men and children by helping them obtain clothes, food, toys, counseling — even college. funding. The Jacksons have lots of good-heart- ed company in Northeast Tarrant Coun- ty. ----- -�----- - — Volunteer youth coach Tagg Sawyer of Fort Worth often had to wear a chemotherapy pack while cheering on kids, but his throat cancer didn't stop him. i Westlake resident Kelly Bradley's idea of taking extra meals she cooked to shut-ins grew into Metroport Meals on Wheels, which delivers meals in 13; communities. And Lou Baum of Euless tries t6find money for desperately ill Iihildren who have no health ksurance. 01" On Thursday, they all .received kudos at the annual tar -Telegram Awards Recogniz- ft, Service (STARS) awards lun- ieon at the Wyndham Hotel in rlington. The newspaper hon- ors volunteers and organizations iat make outstanding contribu- tions to Northeast Tarrant Coun- Arlington and Fort Worth. The Battered Women's Foun- ation, operated by the Jack - won the Pat Nimmo Rid - Me Organization of the Year. i3aum, 65, was named the Her- rt n J. Smith Man of the Year. aradley, 62, won the Gertrude arpley Woman of the Year a5 ard. And Sawyer, 46, received t i*e ommunity Spirit *vard. old Queen for a Day, with foot massages," Jackson said. "We've had two people go out the following Monday and get jobs," she said. For Bradley, a drive through Roanoke 25 years ago prompted her to launch Metroport Meals on Wheels. "I realized how many older homes there were and thought they might have older people in them," she said. "There wasn't a Meals on Wheels here, and I'd been working at one in Dallas before we moved out here in 1977.;' When she asked her church for help,14 volunteers signed up, and the church contributed $100. Today, the organization has 600 Winners were chosen from;; dozens of nominees. Each ' receives $500 to be used for a favorite charity. The acksons S a�red their _ " -SPECIAL-TO THE-STARfiELMRA-MjROBERT-M-McAVO f foundation in 1995 and operate Northeast with volunteers. "We're just doing what we Tarrant County love, that's what's so cool. And winners, from left, are Vern we have to give God credit for g Jackson, that," said Brenda Jackson, 49, a Brenda retired executive secretary. She Jackson, Tagg said her husband, 57, a nutrition- Sawyer, Kelly ist, is "a great guy, and he enjoys Bradley and seeing lives changed, too:' Lou Baum. Besides supplying food and clothing, they offer a monthly Day to Shine event, at which women who have been abused are pampered with free haircuts, manicures and lunch — "like the D ISTBIB UTED TO: PAGE �,_ OF __) 7GIAYOX— CITY COUNCIL CITYATTORNEY _. CRIM - -- HENNIG MCKAMIE DE LA CRUZ RIDGTVAY -- --- YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS TVILHITE GETCHELL LIBRARYADMIN LIBRARYREF ANIMAL CNTR DATE DISTRIB UTED -'2--! j,�? � 16 3 DATE OF ARTICLE � Y /() -3 NEWSPAPER FTVST volunteers. Last year, Metroport delivered 34,533 meals to 224 people and served 17,351 meals in senior citizen centers. "The food is your foot in the door to find out their needs," said Bradley, who retired as Metroport executive director after 20 years. She continues to serve on the group's board and committees. Baum, major projects manag- er for Euless, credits his 18-year- old daughter, Catherine, with steering him down the road to philanthropy. "She has a rare liver disorder, and a formula from West Ger- many keeps her alive," he said. When his daughter's doctor sug- gested that he help children with similar needs, Baum wound up as president of The World Life Foundation, based at his home in Euless. It distributes information on metabolic dis- eases to parents and assists in ground and air transportation to .reatment centers -across -North America. The free service has helped save more than 850 children since 1991, Baum said. He also serves on the Gover- nor's Council for Children with Special Health Care Needs, a federally furlded program for children who have no insurance. "But there's a big shortfall," Baum said. "There are 1,400 kids on a waiting list to get care and are dying." He's working to form a non- profit organization called The Rusty Foundation that can seek donations for those youngsters. Sawyer, a volunteer coach for Clark Nowlin YMCA in north Fort Worth, donates more than 800 hours a year to coaching children's soccer, basketball and baseball. He developed a sore throat last year and was diag- nosed• with cancer. But he con- tinued coaching, despite feeling weak and losing 22 pounds dur- ing'his first three weeks of treat- ment. Sawyer, a field superinten- dent for a plumbing company in Southlake, said he kept the kids he coached informed about his disease. --- "I---showed----t­h-ff —mfhe chemiotherapy pack, which looked like a battery -operated fanny pack, but with a hose that goes to veins near the heart," he said. "They got a kick out of it and sent cards." In December, he had a biopsy; and was pronounced cancer - free. "Things got pretty hairy, but, God was on my side," he said. Finalists for Organization of the Year were the Greater' Southlake Women's Society and: Richland High School's Health' Occupation Students of America' — Chapter 5001. Finalists for Man of the Year: were Mark Messing of Bedford, an oncologist and co-chairman' of the National Ovarian Cancer; Coalition; and Daniel Gannon of; Trophy Club, a North Richland Hills firefighter. Gannon used; his own money and vacation; time to represent North Texas; firefighters at the funerals of, New York firefighters who died'' in the 9-11 disaster. Woman of the Year frnalistsL were Susan Foster of Grapevine,l a literacy advocate who started the Summer Reading Club ford children; and Kandice Wright of -Roanoke, who vo unI teered more than 900 hours last year at the' Rocky Top'Therapy Center in'' Keller. Using 55 therapy horses,` the center helps clients with' mental,, emotional and physical disabilities. i DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE ! OF a MAYOR CITY COUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRIM HENNIG MCKAMIE - DE LA CR UZ RIDGWAY YOUNG MCDONALD COLLINS WILHITE GETCHELL LIBRARYADMIN LIBRARYREF ANIMAL CNTR DATE DISTRIB UTED NEWSPAPER F6i`ST DATE OFARTICLE l� / Star'Telegram STAR -TELEGRAM AWARDS RECOGNIZING SERVICE BYIYNN MCWIWAMS Special to the Star -Telegram When Lou Baum found out he had been nominated as Northeast Tarrant County's Herman J. Smith Man of the Year, he was so excited he actually sat down. And sitting down isn't part of the daily routine of a man with Baum's extraordinary list of achieve- ments. —Baum's life -was exceptional- — right from the start. Right out of high school in Joplin, Mo. he signed a contract to play major- league baseball with the Washing- ton Senators and has stories to tell about playing with Mickey Mantle. community His baseball career ended when he joined the Army, got married, had three children and settled down in Euless. His strong sense of family and community moti- vated him to organize the first . Citizens on Patrol in Euless, the first National McGruff Safe Haven Home for kids in Euless and the Citizens Police Academy Alumni Association. He's a grad- uate of the academy and serves -as-president of -the —alumni -associ- ation currently. Baum has demonstrated again and again that he knows how to get things done, and this gift was perhaps never more important to him than when is daughter Catherine was born with a rare disease. Doctors told Baum and his wife, Vicki, that they didn't know how'to cure the disease and gave the family little hope. But the Baums aren't defeated that easily. They began intense research and found'a drug in German they believed could help Catherine. Tragically, the FDA had barred shipment of this drug to the U.S. Undeterred, Baum called the White -House -and -pleaded -his -case to a presidential aide. Amazingly, the call resulted in a presidential decree signed by President Rea- gan that allowed the drug to be flown into the U.S. just days before Catherine could have suc- cumbed to the disease. DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE OF I -MAYOR-- CITYCOUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRIM---HENNIG MCKAMIE DELACRUZ - RIDGTVAY ----__ YOUNG MCDONALD COLLINS WILHITE, GETCHELL LIBRARYADMIN LIBRARYREF ANIMAL CNTR DATEDISTRIBUTED 3 / % / (--)3 DATE OFARTICLE 3I .� 1 U _ NEWSPAPER F►VST Deeply grateful; Baum called back to thank the president and was surprised when Reagan came on the line. They discussed the need for a consortium to address rare disease problems in the world and the president agreed to create a National Commission on Rare Diseases, with the condition that Lou Baum serve on the board. 'Poday, Catherine is 18 and the oldest living person known to have survived with her disease. In 1991, Baum and his wife formed The World Life Founda- tion, a non-profit worldwide organization that disseminates information on metabolic dis- eases to parents and patients all over the world.�Thus far it has helped save the lives of more than 850 children. For this significant contribution, Lou Baum was given the prestigious Lewis Hine Award from the National Child Labor Committee. Baum serves now as president and chairman of the board for The World Life Foundation, and asked that this story include the foundation's phone number, (800) 289-LIFE in case someone reading this article needs help coping with a metabolic disease. Though Lou Baum is known all over the world as a child's advocate, he is --pa ticularly revered in Euless for the great service hegives to his community; including his current work as Major Pro- jects Manager for Euless. The driving force behind all this gen- erous service is Baum's belief that there are answers to every question and solu- tions to every problem in the world, and he encourages every person he touches to seek them. Because of Baum's own lifelong quest for the answers and solutions to ques- tions and problems he hays faced, many, many children are notoo' afraid of the night and the days hold greater promise for their future. I DISTRIB L'TED TO: PACE OF AfAFOR CIT'YCOUNCIL CITYA TTORNE, Y CRIAI IIENNIG AICKAAIIE DE LACl? UZ IZIDG!1A1'(2) YOUNG 31cDONALD COLLINS 1171,11ITE GETCIIELL LIBRARYADAIIN LIBRARYREF. ANIAIAL CNTR DATE DISTRIBUTED F ��' C.' 3 DATE OFART ICLE r� - n'EI! SPAPER F!! ST "In spite of her handicap, she still Works for the handicapped children, and that is true devotion. I don't think she ever says no to anything." — Euless Mayor Mary Lib Saleh Still going strong to help ailing youngsters A Euless woman devotes 20 to 40 hours a week to help children get free medical transportation. By ELLEN SCHROEDER STAR -TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER Vicki Baum of Euless takes one hour at a time, pacing herself in her nonstop efforts to help families with critically ill children. Since 1991, Baum, 49, has devoted herself to the World Life Founda- tion, a nonprofit organization that distributes information about meta- bolic diseases and provides free transportation to treatment centers. "We just want to make it easier for them, because we've been down this road. You can spend hours on the phone trying to get this informa- tion," said Baum, vice president of the organization. United Way will honor her today with the Hercules Volunteer Award, its highest recognition in Tarrant County for human service accom- plishment. Baum founded the World Life Foundation with her husband, Lou, after their daughter, Catherine, 18, was born with a rare liver disease. Baum gives about 20 to 40 hours a Vicki Baum, co-founder of the World Life Foundation, will be honored today with the Hercules Volunteer Award by the United Way of Metropolitan Tarrant County. STAR -TELEGRAM/ KELLEY CHINN week to the organization, even after she developed multiple sclerosis about five years ago. "In spite of her handicap, she still works for the handicapped children, and that is true devotion," said More on VOLUNTEER on 9B DISTRIB UTED TO: PACE OF �- AIAI'OR CITYCOUNCIL CITI'ATTORI\'EI' CRIAI IIENNIG A1C'KAAIIE DELACRUZ RIDGT!'11Y(2) I'OUNG AIcDONALD COLLINS !1111,III7E GETCHELL LII3RARI'ADAIIA' LIBRARFREF AA'IAIAL CA'TR DATEDISTRIBU7ED `� �i - ?� D,4TEOFARTICLE `� 3 NE!!'SPAPER F!l�ST VOLUNTEER Continued from II3 Euless Mayor Mary Lib Saleh, who wrote a letter supporting Baum's award nomination. "I don't think she ever says no to anything." The organization, which is .+operated out of the Baums' home in Euless, gets four to six calls daily, at any time, day or night. Since its start, the foun- dation has helped about 850 families. "Even though she's been in pain and hurts all over from MS, she can deal with these families with so much compas- sion," said Lou Baum, presi- dent and chief executive offi- cer of the organization. When the Baums' daughter was an infant, she slipped into a coma and needed a urine test About the foundation For information about the World Life Foundation, call (800) 289-5433 or write to P.O. Box 571, Bedford, 76095-0571. at a Denver hospital to save her life. A desperate call to Robert Crandall, then -CEO of American Airlines, helped them get the test. Crandall arranged the flight to get the urine specimen to Denver. The Baums' struggle to get information about their daugh- ter's disease and to find med- ical care led them to reach out to others in similar situations. "She tools that opportunity to not only solve the problem for her family but for families all over the world. She works round the clock on this effort," said Nancy O'Malley, vice president of marketing and communications for United Way of Metropolitan Tarrant County. The honors have run in the family. This year, Lou Baum, 65, received the Herman J. Smith Man of the Year award from the Star -Telegram. The National Child Labor Cornrnit- tee honored him with the Lewis Hine Award in 2001. Tonight's ceremony in Fort Worth will also honor Sabina Bharwani of Grapevine with the Young Volunteer Award; Phyllis Tolles, Fort Worth, the Senior Volunteer Award; AmeriCorps at the University of Texas at Arlington, the Group Volunteer Award; Genie Austin -Calkins, Fort Worth, the Wanda Pyburn Award for outstanding direc- tion of a volunteer program; and the YMCA of Metropoli- tan Fort Worth, the Diversity Award. Ellen Schroeder,(817) 685-3815 eschroeder@star-telegram.com