World spotlight focuses on U.S. hostage’s illness

Press, 13 August 1980, Page 11

World spotlight focuses on U.S. hostage’s illness

International attention was focused on multiple sclerosis last month when Richard. Queen, a United States embassy hostage, was released after 250 days of captivity in Teheran.

In a rare display of accurate reporting. on multiple sclerosis in the world’s printed and electronic media, Mr Queen’s condition from the time he was released until the time he was reunited with his family in the United States was minutely recorded.

The doctors who examined the 28-year-old

Ashburton M.S. folk on their farm at Lowcliffs in what is part of the backing which' Ashburton gives its M.S. people. Last Friday’s gathering and many other events in the past have helped to break down the barriers of loneliness and fear which is part of the bewildering nature of M.S. The Ashburton Hospital Board has given strong support to the principle which all M.S. people adhere to — independence, within.a caring community. Through health professionals, such as Mrs Phyllis Leather and many nurses, doctors and other staff, the board has shown.that it is prepared to take the initiative and give the M.S.

former vice-consul of the Teheran embassy refused to link his ailment directly to his eight months captivity but said it was well ‘ known that stress was a key factor in the development of multiple sclerosis. Richard Queen unwittingly, did something for M.S. which few other people suffering from the progressively crippling disease have been able to do — he drew the world’s news media into a detailed coverage of the disease and its causes. To have achieved the sort of coverage given his

people every chance to live with their disability in the community and not apart from it. One M.S, person m the Ashburton area sums up the attitude of the town towards the group. One day two years ago, this person, badly handicapped by M.S., woke to find a large box at her front door. It contained. a brand new television set to keep her company while her family was away. In an age when caring seems to be less than justified by some communities, this example of practical help is a tonic. Ashburton continues to show communities of much greater size that caring is just as much in vogue now as ever.

diagnosis would have cost millions of dollars had it been handled by normal publicity channels. All major world magazines and other news outlets gave details of M.S. in a manner which was simple, accurate and understanding. The medical team which examined him at a United States military hospital not' far from the huge United States Air Force base in Frankfurt, West Germany, were able to come up with a quick and clear diagnosis of M.S. — far quicker than for, his ordinary citizen ■— but Richard Queen was sadly in the world spotlight and United States citizens wanted answers.

The materialon this page was prepared by a staff reporter, John Brown, who has multiple sclerosis. Mr Brown received a Winston Churchill Memorial study award in 1976 and studied welfare work for M.S. people in eight overseas countries. He has been a New. Zealand delegate at world Multiple Sclerosis Conferences in Toronto, Amsterdam and Vienna in the last three years.