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SPRING DRIVE 2006 - Part 4: Connections Discussion

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3yardsandacloud

3yardsandacloud

Administrator Emeritus
SPRING DRIVE 2006 - Part 4: Connections Discussion

This thread is intended to find those people who can remove roadblocks, knock down walls, and find ways around those issues that have unnecessarily complicated Clarity's situation and threatened his well-being.

Clarity requires medical attention, tests and more tests, and, we fervently hope, a long-awaited diagnosis of the underlying cause of his medical problems. Given the complexities of his case, he also needs an advocate positioned to help him navigate the bureaucracies of those social institutions which were intended to provide assistance in precisely this sort of situation but have thus far failed to do so. We hope the BuckeyePlanet community can band together to find solutions.

If you have potentially helpful skills or connections, please discuss it here. Identifying information is not necessary; the staff will contact people as the conversation requires for further information. If you do not wish to post your information here, please PM vrbryant (Clarity's brother).

GOALS
  • Medical advocacy
    • Do you know people in the system who can speak on Clarity’s behalf? This could be someone with political connections as well as someone in the medical field. Access is one issue; another is that the complexity of the situation will require someone to help ensure continuity regarding the flow of information between doctors and medical institutions.
  • Financial advocacy
    • Can you or someone you know help ensure Clarity’s case gets the proper attention through Social Security? With the move from Florida to Ohio, his case is back at square one and needs to be pushed through with all possible speed.
  • Medical/dental care
    • Donated services (Note: Dental work would be performed in a hospital due to health complications.)




ALL donations made to BuckeyePlanet from the time of this post until the end of the Spring Drive is announced will go directly to Clarity for use in obtaining medical care, paying for past medical care, and making housing payments.

Donations can be made via:

MAIL:
BuckeyePlanet
5794 Gradey Pass
Galloway, OH 43119-8598

PayPal:
Link found on the front page of BuckeyePlanet, or in the black navigation bar at the top of most pages.
PayPal Donation Link

NOTE: Checks should be made payable to: Joanna Bryant (NOT BuckeyePlanet). Please be sure to include your BuckeyePlanet username with any donation so we can credit your account with the appropriate reward or medal. Additionally, the memo/note area (where you would include your username) is limited to 250 characters. You'll have to be brief.​



RELATED THREADS

 
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I'm no doctor, but it may be worth contacting the OSU Medical school. I hate to say it, but Clarity's case may be appealing to them in a teaching-sense. There could definitely be positives for both parties.

The comment in another thread about the home makeover show makes me wonder if that new reality medical show would be a good contact.

I'll add more later. I'm still floored by everything.
 
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I printed Clarity's write up and gave it to my wife, who works in a huge medical facility here in UA/Hilliard. She took the write up to work with her today. She's going to do some research and bounce the write up off of a few docs. It may take a few days to get some good responses. Let's just cross our fingers and hope.
 
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Thanks BiM & scooter. The connections issue is one I think vitally important. I'm betting on our small community here at BuckeyePlanet to come through for Clarity and his wife with the finances to see them through the short term. All we are really doing is buying them some time. Keeping them in a home with some food and other basic necessities. That, I think/hope we can handle in the short term (up to ??? months of living expenses).

Now the really, really, really (can't stress it enough) important goal is to get Clarity connected to people that can help him. No one (especially Clarity) wants a continuous fundraiser. Gathering enough money for them to just 'get by' is not a long term goal. It's time to get the problems diagnosed, treated and solved/cured. If this is something that can't be cured/solved, then we need to make SURE Clarity has access to some form of disability. Heck, he needs access to some form of disability benefit now.

So I see this as 3 parts.

1 Raise money for Clarity's basic survival ... however long that is needed.

2 Get Clarity connected to those in the Medical field that can help with his issues.

3 Get Clarity connected to those in the Legal, Disability and Advocacy fields so that he can secure disability benefits and medical access ... both short term and long term.

Issue #1 goes away once issues #2 and #3 are solved. So, while #1 is VERY important as our immediate goal, solving #2 and #3 will finalize this process.

So I hope that everyone will contact whoever you know that might be able to help. We just don't know where those all-important connections will be found.
 
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I don't know why I didn't think of this sooner but it dawned on me when I read scooters post. I just passed along Clarity's symptoms etc to the host of my morning show which is a health show. She has lots of contacts here in Sarasota, the surrounding area and nationally. She's very untested in trying to help by passing the information along to the doctors that she knows.
 
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I'm in Austin right now, but I live in Houston, which has some of the best (cancer) medical facilities in the world. I know a couple of MDs who I could give that to, but that'll be at least a month or so, if that's ok?

Also, I just wanted to know what kind of specialists to pass this information onto? Focus on the respiratory issues, the testicular lumps, the brain....?
 
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I worked in disability rights in Ohio back in the late 70s and early 80s (developmental disabilities though, and I don't have many contacts from those days). The disability rights community in Ohio is very well organized, elements of it are very tough advocacy-wise, but it is (or at least was) a somewhat closed community (suspicious of do-gooder outsiders). At any rate, here a couple of suggestions.

Contact local offices of Ohio's US Senators and Clarity's Rep in US Congress. Some of them have very good "constituent services" programs (unfortunately, not all do). If you could track down the woman who staffed Sen Metzenbaum's Columbus office, she was the absolute best in cutting through red tape and getting people the services they needed (sorry, I don't have her name, and she's probably retired by now).

Back in the old days, the Ohio Legal Rights Service was very good. They are still around. Check them out at http://olrs.ohio.gov/ASP/HomePage.asp.

Definitely get Clarity into tOSUs network of hospitals, clinics, and such. As a teaching program, they relish "tough cases" and are often able to help with costs. But more important, the health side is well integrated with the social side (the side that can identify other services needed, assisted living, help qualify for SSDI, do advocacy, and such).

One Buck down, all Bucks down.
:osu:
 
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I can't imagine that this hasn't already been considered and maybe even discussed somewhere by the "powers that be", but what about advertising?

I'm astonished and forever grateful that Clarity would turn down the sale of BP at such a desparate time of monetary need, and that is a true testament of his charecter indeed. But if people are out there willing to buy the site, there must be those willing to buy a banner or other form of ad on the Planet. I don't intend in any way to suggest a comprimise to Clarity's vision, but would this change the essence of the community environment that has been built these years? Would this be seen as such an agregious (sp?) step to take under such circumstances?

I figure some might have the reaction that this could be a slippery slope to travel down for the site, "If they are willing to do "a.)" then how much time before we see "b.)" and then "c.)"? But I for one don't think the right types of Ad would detract from the look of the site (i'm not talking pop-ups every time you hit a different page or refresh), and definitely wouldn't lessen the quality of member/poster, visitor, etc. I don't suggest turning the front page or most popular forum pages into a "Time Square" of internet addresses either.

And maybe I'm missing something fundamental about the reason for this decision when Clarity's vision was concieved. But these seem to be circumstances that call for "adjustments" and plans to combat the current situation, and at least from my vantage point this option doesn't seem to change the fabric or the "being" of what the Buckeye Planet Community is...and doesn't even essentially stray from the concept of being a free resource to the public.

Again, if I'm missing something, then I apologise to any of you who have been here at the beginning and who might view this as that "first step in the wrong direction". I really don't intend to offend anyone, but reading Clarity's story truly made me feel helpless and sick to my stomach (which I apologise for as well, because I'm sure that's the last reaction that Clarity or his family or you who are organizing these fantastic efforts would want), and I wish there was more that I could do than just sending in my check (which I have).

God Bless Clarity and his family and those directly and indirectly effected by this difficult (wow, what an understatment) time in his life...His story is truly an "eye opening" reality check for me, and I appreciate the humility it must have taken him to share it.

EDIT: Just so that I'm not misunderstood, my intent for the Banner suggestion would be the revenue generated going directly as a supplemental income for Clarity and his expenses. I don't have a clue how much this could be, but I figure the site is national at minimum and somewhat world wide, so it's probably nothing to sneaze at...and as more than one has already said, "any dollar they get is one more that he didn't have and can use toward mothly house payments, medical bils, etc." or something like that.

And while I'm in a suggesting mode, (no disrespect intended at all towards anyone organizing this) I was wondering if the cause would be better served if the Title to the thread was something other than "Spring Drive 2006". Maybe something like "One Buckeye Down, All Buckeyes Down" or something that would garner more attention and maybe better represent the gravity of this year's fund raiser. I know it's only a few days old, but I wonder if it would attract the attention of the casual visitor more and the member who just pops in occasionally to grab the latest sports/Buckeye news if it wasn't seen as "Oh, that's just that same thing they did this time last year." The hit count for Part I (from the Buckeyes / Sports Forums front page) just seemed a little low to me compared to other threads, and I would hope others would check it out and get involved.

Sorry if this is in the wrong forum. Thanks for the efforts all the mods and regulars are putting into this and everything...I'm more impressed with the fortitude of this community now than I ever was before.
 
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Phenomenal post. I agree that a name change should be considered. As for the advertising...I think just getting to this point has required a lot of humility from Clarity. It just is not in his nature to even discuss his hardships, much less use this site to help him.

I knew when he said he needed help that things were really reaching a critical point. However, he has always wanted this site to be always free and ad free. Advertising has been discussed. It's not happening (at least not yet).

Thank you again for your post, and I'll pass on your suggestions.
 
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If I recall correctly, there was discussion of advertising when the site was still in infancy (that there wouldn't be any). I would not be opposed to it, if it would help Clarity through these rough times. He did, at the time seem rather adamant that there would be none though.
 
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Do what you gotta do. Perhaps if whatever companies took into consideration the huge growth of BP and Clarity's situation they would be willing to place an ad or two on here. I'm sure no will mind, anything to help. When everyone logged on here and saw ads the only thing they would think would be "those are here to help Clarity."
 
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BinMich is our resident kingpin politician... he may be able to help here.. but he needs someone with exceptional writing/communication skills to put together a letter that can articulate Clarity's need in a letter short enough that politicians will even read it... any volunteers? this letter would be mailed to a number of potential political figures... as well as influencers...
 
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Not sure if any of this has been done yet, however here are some ideas:

Contact State Senator Ray Miller http://www.senate.state.oh.us/senators/bios/sd_15.html
He is very much into "minority/low income" health. He might be able to point WIll in the right direction (who can help, who to contact for specific issues, etc.). He might be able to put Will in contact with somebody to help him navigate through the medicaid process.

There tends to be an income limitation for medicaid...sounds bad, but worst case situation could entail a divorce so Will wouldn't have any income and might help jump through hoops quicker... talk to somebody that knows the system, just thinking "out loud" on how to jump through the "hoops."

Here's a link to OSUMC's clinical trials site. I don't know if any of this falls into Will's situation... if it does they pick up the bill... http://medicalcenter.osu.edu/patientcare/hospitalsandservices/trials/

Next suggestion involves a question... How many hours of work does Jo perform for Will each day. The post stated she needs to stay home to help Will, and was performing a job online. If the work performed for Will isn't too "nurse oriented" a cheap part-time helper might be beneficial. This would free up Jo's time, so she could get a full time job (I'm thinking with the OSUMC, where you can work 30 hours a week and still receive full benefits, including health insurance, retirement, paid time off, etc.). Most employers require 40 hours for such benefits. The extra income and benefits would undoubtedly help the Bryants situation (if time permitted, Jo could continue the online work on a part-time basis if permitted, for additional income)... I know this is reaching, if it seems quasi possible let me know, I have some connections that might help with finding Jo a job at OSUMC.
 
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Some Ideas (Lazlo may want to read this as if spoken with a drunken slur and what is easily mistaken for an Australian accent :wink2:).


Commercial Ideas --
Turning around Padraig's idea a little. What if is not wholly the marketing rights for the site were sold. Not adverts on the site, but rather the "merchandising" rights.

(SIMV, this is really close to the trial balloon I was floating at the end of the Poker Party, the following is a cleaner means to achieve the broad goal).

The site remains fully under BP control, but a significant portion of future proceeds from BP "wear" - such as might be sold through CafePress, would revert to the purchaser of these merchandising rights. Typically when such a deal is constructed the higher the up-front fee, the greater the proportion of proceeds to the buyer. So it would be a balancing act, the buyer may want a smaller up-front fee in lieu of which you receive a greater share of the on-going proceeds. The key, in my mind, would be a marriage between an agency or entity well versed in such brand exploitation - yet sensitive to the needs of the goose that is laying the golden egg.

Would it be worthwhile pitching such an idea to m2marketing, who are well aware of the core problem and have already shown a willingness to come to play?

Social / Advocacy
------------------
I have heard no mention explicitly of the involvement of the Disabled American Veterans. Yet, it is my understanding that Clarity is a) a Veteran and b) Disabled - by any rational interpretation one or other of the functions of the DAV (a charity to which I routinely give funds each and every year - so should we all) should be able to help. Either in advocacy, or in one form or other of direct assistance. If you have already explored this avenue, then forgive my ignorant pleading - it simply seems to me like a perfect match between your goals and their mission.

More later.
 
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