After a long awaited weekend visitation caused by false allegations of sexual abuse, Glen got to see his children for the first time in over two months. He promised them that they would never be apart again and then they disappeared.
For a time, I perched myself on a flat rock, comparing my life with the Guyandotte River. Just as its tributaries replenish it daily, changing it in some small—sometimes great—degree, so have the day-to-day occurrences of life changed me. Like the ri
"Laughter is the best medicine."
I'm a lucky woman to have had the opportunity to work in three rewarding professions---elementary school teacher, piano teacher, and author.
"A Burden of Silence: My Mother's Battle with AIDS," reveals a tender mother/daughter love story. My elderly mother was transfused with HIV contaminated blood while undergoing heart bypass surgery.
Background
Information
I've been a nonfiction freelance writer since 1981. My short stories have been published in inspirational magazines in the United States, Canada, and Italy. After receiving a B.S. degree in Education from Keene State College, Keene, NH, I taught elementary school for several years. I don't think I could have picked a more rewarding profession. I also enjoyed teaching piano to children and adults for 26 years.
I've spoken professionally about my book and the AIDS pandemic. In my talks I have included how I overcame adversity in my life. I have also appeared on television and radio. It was also an honor to give the keynote closing address to 800 students at a high school when the AIDS Memorial Quilt was on display.
I volunteered with the NAMES Project and appeared on stage announcing names from the AIDS panels displayed on the Ellipse in Washington, D.C. "A Burden of Silence" has been placed on the Hospice and Palliative Care International recommended reading list by Director, Roger Woodruff, M.D., Melbourne, Australia. Hospice nurses showered my mother with love and care during her last weeks. Her special hospice nurse was someone she could share her secret with.
As an avid AIDS activist, I'm eager to heighten AIDS awareness through the media, schools, churches and other organizations. Education is the key to preventing further HIV infections. I address an issue people feel uncomfortable talking about. Yet, throughout the world, 8,000 people die daily from AIDS. My mission is to get the message out to the public so people will know the facts.
We don't want our children coming to us and saying, "Why didn't you tell us all the facts? Why didn't you stand up and do something to end this pandemic?"
History will judge us on how we respond to the AIDS pandemic. So far, it won't judge us kindly.
Accomplishments
Accepted into the National League of America Pen Women
Second Prize winner for a Memoir in the National League of American Pen Women Contest in Florida.
I have won several contests for my stories published in newspapers.
My short nonfiction stories have been published in the U.S., Canada, and Italy.
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