Clifton Merchant Magazine • Volume 14 • Issue 7 • July 3, 2009

Sgt. Billy GibsonOne Man’s Bounce Back Story

Against Multiple Myeloma

Jennifer HenkelThe Director of Wee Care Child Care Center

Lives with Laryngeal Papillomatosis

Bob SmithLap Band Surgery, Diet and Exercise

Help Melt Away 200 Pounds

Brooke Van BeverenIt’s All About Attitude When You’re

Dealing with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma

Mother Nature’s RemediesFrom Acupuncture to Salt Treatments and

Other Naturopathic Options

Medicine& Miracles

Support Clifton’s 2011 Police Unity Tour Team

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March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 4

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1 S

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Contributing WritersIrene Jarosewich, CarolLeonard, Rich DeLotto,Don Lotz, Jack DeVries© 2011 Tomahawk Promotions

1288 Main AvenueDowntown Clifton, NJ 07011

For eighteen years Fred Rogers was my closestpersonal friend. We called each other on the

phone at least once a week to catch up on the

family news. I spent summer weekends together with

Fred and his wife in Nantucket. When e-mail

technology entered into our lives we wrote notes back

and forth at least once a day, sometimes silly jokes,

often times a quote we found in a book. I’d send him

the newest poem that I had written, or my newest essay.

Fred would send along a television script for his

children’s program, or a speech he was writing for an

invitation to a college. He’d ask how it sounded, and if

I could make some improvements.

I met Fred at the HBO studios in New York City in

1982. He flew in for some television interviews, and I

was working on a children’s television program that

never got off the ground, but I did meet Mr. Rogers in

my research, and Captain Kangaroo, and Mr. Green

Jeans, and Bill Baird the puppeteer, and producers from

Sesame Street, and Julie Taymor.

I’ve been fortunate to write speeches for Eunice

Kennedy Shriver, been given a personal introduction to

Pope John Paul II in the Vatican. I walked along the

Roman roads in Belgium, saw windmills in Holland,

drank beer in Germany, and saluted Big Ben in London.

I dipped my hands in the Pacific Ocean in California,

rode the Maid of the Mist into the basin of Niagara Falls.

I guess I’ve seen about as much of the world as I am

likely to see, and I see that there is blood on our hands.

The world is becoming too much with us in its sorrows.

The poet William Butler Yeats was right after all:

Things fall apart; the center cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world, the blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere the ceremony of innocence is drowned….

The Best of NEIGHBORS By Christopher de Vinck

When an innocent nine year old

girl is killed because she wants to

take delight in the presence of a

United State Congresswoman, when

the President of the United States has

to remind us of our own civility and

purity of heart, I have to ask myself,

what has happened to us as a people?

I sat in a small chapel in Toronto,

Canada with Fred as we prayed

together for continued goodness in

the world.

I sat with Fred on a log at

Martha’s Vineyard as we looked out

over the ocean. “Right here, Chris,”

and Fred pointed with his finger,

“Right here is where my father often

told me how much he loved me.”

In 2002 Fred gave the

commencement address at

Dartmouth College. It was there

that he reminded us that “Our world

hangs like a magnificent jewel in

the vastness of space. Every one of

us is a part of that jewel. A facet of

that jewel. And in the perspective of

infinity, our differences are

infinitesimal. We are intimately

related. May we never even pretend

that we are not?”

Time and time again Fred would

refer to the power of love when he

heard of a sorrow in the world. A

very famous woman was enduring

a sorrow with her husband, and

Fred spontaneously sent her warm,

loving note of encouragement and

said “You know, Chris, even

famous people need to be loved.”

When Fred accepted the Lifetime

Achievement Award at the 1997

Emma Award Ceremony he asked all

of Hollywood to offer up ten seconds

of silence. “All of us have had a

special one who loved us into being.”

He asked that in those ten seconds

they all give thanks for that love.

When I turned 50, Fred gave me

a set of gold cufflinks. “Chris, my

father gave me those and said that he

loved me, and I want to give these to

you now, passing down that love.

You know, it goes on and on.”

In his closing remarks at

Dartmouth, Fred said these words:

When I say it's you I like, I'm

talking about that part of you that

knows that life is far more than

anything you can ever see or hear

or touch. That deep part of you that

allows you to stand for those things

without which humankind cannot

survive. Love that conquers hate,

peace that rises triumphant over

war and justice that proves more

powerful than greed.

Let us not give Yeats his due as he

wrote “The best lack all conviction.”

Fred believed in the remarkable

quality of goodness that resides in

everyone’s heart, no matter how

awful they may seem on the surface.

We need to be loved into being.

I do not deny the power of evil in

the world. Evil is the absence of

love. No one would shoot a nine

year old girl if he were loved. If we

are not loved, evil pours in.

Now more than ever we need to

listen to the prophets, Fred Rogers

being one of our modern prophets.

“Love that conquers hate,” Fred

said. “Peace that rises triumphant

over war,” and yes “justice that

proves more powerful than greed.”

One day I pointed out to Fred

that the word “friend” included his

name “FRiEnD.” He liked that.

On January 31, 2003 at 3:37 PM

I received my last e-mail from my

friend. (I still haven’t deleted it

from my computer.) He said, in

part, “Thank you AGAIN AND

AGAIN for all your prayers. That's

the kind of sustenance I need every

minute of every day and night.

Love to you and Roe and the

children, as always, and thank you

again and again and again and

again........your FRiEnD.” He died

27 days later of stomach cancer.

Fred told me, he told the students

at Dartmouth, he told everyone “in all

that you do, in all of your life, I wish

you the strength and the grace to

make those choices which will allow

you and your neighbor to become the

best of whoever you are.”

March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 6

March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 7

March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 8

Feeling like your big toeis about to explode?Gout can be an extremelyuncomfortable pain inthe toe. It most oftenattacks the joint of the“Great Toe” althoughother joints could possi-bly be affected.

Thomas Graziano, MD, DPM,FACFAS, who surgically correct-ed the gout condition picturedabove, said attacks are caused bydeposits of crystallized uric acidin the joint.

“Gout occurs most commonlyin the big toe because uric acid issensitive to temperature changes,”said Dr. Graziano, a Clifton footand ankle surgeon. At coolertemperatures, uric acid turns tocrystals.

Uric acid is the result of thebreakdown of purines, chemicalsthat are found naturally in ourbodies and in food.

Uric acid is present in theblood and eliminated in theurine, but in people who havegout, uric acid accumulates andcrystallizes in the joints.

Since the toe is the part of thebody that is farthest from theheart, it’s also the coolest part ofthe body – and, thus, the mostlikely target of gout, explainedDr. Graziano, adding that goutcan affect any joint in the body.

The inflammatory processusually will resolve in three to tendays with treatment. If goutsymptoms or attacks continue,the next approach may involvedaily medication or even surgerysaid Dr. Graziano. “The build-upof uric acid over time can causearthritic damage to the joint.”

Call 973-473-3344 for details.

Before After

Gout Often Affects the Great Toe

March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 9

M E D I C I N E

M I R A C L E S&

Spirit in the SkyLife equals 5 daughters, 2 daily glasses of milk

and 63 years of marriage

Norm Dikdan takes his health seriously. The 85 year old still

drinks two glasses of milk a day, has taken cod liver oil, fish

oil and vitamin E for 50 years and attends church regularly.

Weekly worship services are probably good news to his wife Laura and

their five daughters; it’s like a little extra insurance for his family.

That’s because a few years back, Dikdan decided to take up skydiving,

a thrill he expects to do again this spring.

By Tom Hawrylko

March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 10

Talk to Norm Dikdan over the

phone and he sounds like a kid.

“I feel like one,” he responded to

such an observation by a caller. “I’m

an up person. I’ve got a good sense

of humor, strong spiritual faith...”

And he comes from good Syrian

stock—his dad died at the age of 94

and his mom at 96. Midway

through his eighth decade, Dikdan

said that with the grace of God and

some luck, he expects to remain

mentally and physically active—

and to outlive both his parents.

Meet Norm Dikdan and you’re in

for a lively conversation: “People my

age are dropping. Others have had a

lot of surgeries. I’ve been lucky,” he

observed with a chuckle. “All I had

was my appendix removed.”

The laugh had nothing to do

with his appendicectomy and all to

do with “the only stupid thing I

did.” Last February, Dikdan was

driving on Overmount Ave. in

Woodland Park and got stuck on an

ice patch. Getting in and out of the

vehicle, he somehow found himself

kneeling beside the car with a

hand—not a foot!—on the gas

pedal and the other hand—not a

foot—on the steering wheel.

“Suddenly the car took traction,

the door knocked me down and the

car ran over me,” Dikdan recalled

of his predicament. “Good thing it

was deep snow... no broken

bones...” He paused and reflected:

“I worked on my dad’s milk truck

and always drank a quart of milk,

everyday. I still do. At least two

glasses a day. It’s given me real

strong bones. That proves it.”

Close call indeed but that was

not his first brush with his own

mortality and the hereafter.

Dikdan is a WWII US Navy vet-

eran, drafted from his hometown of

Paterson when he was 18. After

boot camp, he was trained to be a

bosun mate aboard a landing craft

which ferried troops to the leg-

endary Normandy invasion.

During the back and forth and all

the action near those French beach-

es in June of 1944, he was hit with

shrapnel, receiving a head wound

which affected his hearing. He has

worn hearing aides since that time.

“I never let that stop me,” he said.

Norm and Laura Dikdan in a recent photo and the young couple some 63 years ago.

March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 11

710 Van Houten Avenue • Clifton • 973-777-1559 Visit Us Online: www.mariosrestaurantpizza.com

“God has granted me many

years,” Dikdan added, paraphrasing

a traditional chant for good health

sung in his culture and at his parish,

Saint Ann’s Byzantine-Melkite

Catholic Church in Woodland Park.

After the war, he and Laura

(“she’s my real blessing,” he says

of his bride) married and Dikdan

found his first job as a draftsman

with Bright Star Industries on Getty

Ave. in Clifton.

After three years, he and his

family built an auto repair station

on Gould Ave. in Paterson where

Dikdan worked for 15 years before

purchasing a used car lot from fel-

low Cliftonite Gabe Marroon on

Main Ave. in South Paterson. After

he sold that, he worked another 12

years selling cars at Caldwell

Toyota before he retired at age 74.

During those decades, Norm and

Laura bought a home on Standish

Dr. where they raised five daugh-

ters. After the kids married, eventu-

ally having kids of their own and

giving the couple 14 grandchildren

and one great grandchild, the house

got too big for them, so they moved

into a condo in Woodland Park.

Over the years, Dikdan has

stayed active, physically, mentally

and spiritually. Having been in

sales most of his life, he has a gift

of gab. He enjoys sharing stories

and telling jokes, saying that it

keeps him in a positive mood. And

it’s not just banter that fills the air

around Norm Dikdan as he is exer-

cising his mind.

A few years back, he invented

and patented a pull tab for old wax

milk cartons, which were always

troublesome to open. Unfortunately,

by time his patent was published the

milk industry changed the shape of

the cartons and his design became

obsolete. But the learning moment

is there for Dikdan: “The point is

you have to keep your mind work-

ing, never stop thinking. Exercise

your brain,” he advised.

Ask Dikdan some of his sugges-

tions for a long and productive life,

and he’ll sum it up in an old slogan

from the YMCA: a healthy spirit,

mind and body.

Both he and his wife are active

in their church, attend services

weekly and their culture and reli-

gion are at the base of their mar-

riage of six decades.

Dikdan can also fluently speak

Arabic, a “gift” his father gave him

when he was a boy. “My dad used

to talk to me in Arabic and I would

respond in English,” he recalled.

“He just continued in Arabic. He

made it easy to learn the language.”

Norm Dikdan offers a perspec-

tive on what it means to age well

and to continue to live life in a pos-

itive and productive manner. MayGod Grant You Many Years!

A ccording to the doctorswho treated him, it was a

combination of chemother-

apy, radiation and a stem cell trans-

plant that saved his life. But Billy

Gibson will tell you it was a portrait

of his wife and two kids that hung on

the wall in his hospital room to force

his cancer into remission.

The Clifton Police Sergeant bat-

tle multiple myeloma for more than

three years, suffering many months

in almost complete isolation in a

lonely, sterile hospital room due to

his compromised immune system.

Gaunt, physically weak and near

mental exhaustion, he contemplat-

ed giving up, chatted with God and

spent hours in self-reflection, won-

dering it was his fate.

“I just remember saying, it’s not

my time to die,” he continued.

“I’ve got a beautiful wife, young

kids... I need to be there for my

family.”

Now cancer free for more than a

decade, Gibson is still amazed by

his good fate. If it were not for his

friendship with Dr. Jeffrey Gold L

MD, the aggressive and potentially

fatal disease may not have been

detected until it was far too late.

The tale begins in November

1997, when Gibson took his moth-

er, Agnus, for her regular check up

at Gold’s office. Afterwards, the

doctor, a family friend for several

decades, convinced Gibson to stay

a few more minutes and get a phys-

ical, which he had been neglecting

for many years.

Then 45 years old, Gibson was

in great shape, but had been consid-

ering getting an exam for precau-

tionary reasons due to his age.

Three days after the physical, the

Clifton cop received a call from his

friend requesting a face-to-face sit

down. Perplexed, Gibson went in

March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 12

M

May not be c

M E D I C I N E

M I R A C L E S&

I Will SurviveOne Man’s Bounce Back Story

By Joe Hawrylko

March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 13

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and immediately realized that the

battery of tests had revealed some-

thing not good.

“He’s got this real serious look

on his face and I know it isn’t going

to be good, so I told him to give it

to me point blank,” he recalled. Dr.

Gold explained that Gibson’s pro-

tein levels were high—a calling

card of cancer. After giving anoth-

er urine sample. he went to home to

anxiously await the results.

“I had absolutely no symptoms, I

felt as strong as a horse,” he said.

“But I trusted him, I knew Dr. Gold

would not allow anything to hap-

pen to me.” When the second test

confirmed elevated levels, Dr. Gold

sent his friend to Dr. Kyudong

Uhm, an oncologist, for a painful

bone marrow biopsy.

“They take it from the back part

of your pelvis,” Gibson recalled

“The best way I can describe it is

this: You take a 2x4 and with a big

wood screw, you screw it into a

hole... and then you rip it out.”

Above, Billy Gibson in an undated photo after beginning his treatments withretired Clifton Police Lt. Pat Ciser At left, Gibson holds up the photo of his fam-ily with Tyler, his wife Robin and Billy which got him through tough times.

March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 14

“I’ve done karate for a long time with (CPD officer)

Pat Ciser, maybe 18 years,” he continued. “A lot of that

is discipline and focus. When they were doing this, I

just stared at this dot and the wall while they did what

they had to do.”

This test confirmed what doctors had feared all

along: Cancer. The culprit was multiple myeloma,

which affects plasma cells, wreaking havoc on the

immune system and in bone marrow.

“I had never even heard of it before, I didn’t have

any clue what it was,” said Gibson. “It’s a huge shock.

Ok doc, I have cancer. Now what? There’s a lot going

through my mind. I had a kid who wasn’t even born

yet.”

“It’s not really fear,” he continued. “it’s more numb-

ing. You’re trying to digest everything, mentally get

yourself in order. What do we do from here? Is it ter-

minal? How do we address this with the kids? Where

do we go from here? What the hell just happened?”

Fortunately, the disease was in the very early stages.

Gibson was refered to MM specialist Dr. Arnold Rubin,

who administered his own battery of tests and determined

that there was enough time to delay treatments to see if

any new medical breakthroughs were on the horizon.

Life continued as normal for Gibson, who was free of

any symptoms besides night sweats. It wasn’t until two

years later in 1999, when another potentially deadly ill-

ness nearly took his life, that doctors decided to act.

“I was on the job, chasing a stolen car,” he recalled.

“I got out of the car and the hit me with his car.”

Bruised and sore, Gibson figured it was just a minor

lump and went home to ice up and rest after his shift.

However, when he awoke with a fever of nearly 106

degrees, his wife, Robin, called an ambulance—a move

that probably saved Gibson’s life.

Doctors determined that he had acquired a staph

infection, which can easily be fatal if not treated imme-

diately. Surgeons scooped out huge chunks of necrotic

flesh from his leg and inserted drains. Dr. Rubin was

also on hand monitoring the situation, and when tests

revealed that the disease had kick started the MM, he

advised Gibson that his cancer treatment would begin

immediately.

To combat the aggressive disease, doctors planned to

bombard his body with a cocktail of drugs and radiation

over the course of several months to weaken the cancer

and Gibson’s immune system, which is necessary for

the last and most important step: the vital stem cell

transplant.

Gibson’s chemo regiment was intense. Spread out

over four months, he would spend five consecutive

days in the hospital every four weeks, where a round-

the-clock dose was administered.

The Cliftonite explained that due to his physique, he

was confident that he was able to handle the physical

challenges. What he was concerned about was the

mental challenges—dealing with hair and weight loss,

depression, or just simply getting up in the morning

when you know you’re going into the hospital to get

pumped full of poison for five days straight.

“The first couple of days you’re ok but then you start

to get out of sync,” Gibson continued. “My brain was

telling me, come on buddy, you’ve got things you got

to do. But my body felt like it had been up for three

days straight.”

In an effort to be as normalized as possible, Gibson

continued working out in a modified routine, dropping

to the floor for sit up and push ups to pass the time. But

by his third chemo session, the common side effects of

the treatment began to manifest.

Gibson’s hair began to thin out across his head. His

beard and eyebrows began to develop patchy bald

spots, and weight rapidly began to shed from his body.

“It was uncomfortable,” he said. “I had really light

March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 15

blond hair that I kept neat. I also

lost a lot of weight, from 194 to 158

pounds.”

“I lost my appetite. I just never

felt like eating,” added. “I remem-

ber telling my wife, ‘Rob, I ate a

teaspoon of Jello today’ like I

couldn’t believe it.”

More alarming was that he

began to gradually lose senses in

his tastebuds. “Chicken or card-

board, I couldn’t tell the differ-

ence,” he lamented.

It’s at this stage that the emo-

tional challenges become apparent.

An individual’s mental make up is

just as important as physical health

in defeating cancer.

“The way I did it all the way

through the process was that I just

kept on believing that I was going

to beat it,” said Gibson. “I was

going to fight through all the way

to the end and we were going to get

the best doctors possible.”

Once the chemo was completed,

Gibson had to endure radiation

therapy, which was designed to

bring his immune system to a halt.

Though such action meant that

even a cold could be deadly, it was

a necessary precursor to a stem cell

transplant.

Gibson had to spend many

weeks in virtually isolation from

the outside world, confined to a

lonely, sterile hospital room. In

that situation, even the most opti-

mistic of individuals would find

their will to live on the wane.

“I’m not super religious or any-

thing, but I do believe in god,” he

explained. “But at several points,

you just sit there and think, am I

really going to die in this room, iso-

lated all by myself? You get

Gibson’s family in a recent photo from left: son Scott, daughter Lori (Smeriglio),and Bill and Robin’s boys Billy jr. and Tyler.

March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 16

a little time to talk to the man

upstairs.”

It’s far easier to give up than

endure hours of pain, discomfort

and solitude, but Gibson kept on

fighting for one thing: his family.

The fear of not seeing his Robin

or his four children ever again was

far too much to bear. Those indi-

viduals are Gibson’s passion, his

motivation to wake up every morn-

ing, to weather any challenges that

life throws his way.

The self professed family man

explained that he loves nothing

more than spending time with his

family, whether it’s over dinner,

going fishing or watching his chil-

dren compete in sports.

This is a man who traveled

halfway across the globe while

undergoing chemotherapy to watch

his son, Scott, represent the US in

Sweeden for a youth soccer tourna-

ment in 2000.

When permitted, the family

spent many long hours together in

the hospital by his side. And when

he was in isolation, it was the por-

trait of his wife and his children

that gave him the will power to bat-

tle on and hope that the stem cell

transplant would save him.

“That picture was huge—

HUGE,” said Gibson, who now

hangs the photo on the wall of his

Richfield Home. “My wife is an

angel. She stayed with me the

whole time through everything.

She’s unbelieveable. And my older

kids, they were always in there vis-

iting.”

Things began looking up in

March of 2000, when Dr. Rubin

determined that Gibson was pre-

pared for the stem cell transplant.

A tube to draw blood is placed in

one arm and fed to a machine,

which blasts the cells with radiation

and reinserts them into the other

arm in a four hour process.

“You can’t move, you’re on a

bed and they’re draining your

blood, which goes through a

machine that separates the stem

cells,” he recalled. “After maybe

three and a half hours, my left vein

collapsed, It was painful, I knew

something happened right away. It

was like plugging a vacuum hose.”

But despite the scare, the process

worked and Gibson was put back in

isolation to see if his body would

accept the new cells.

That, however, took longer than

expected. Gibson was still recover-

ing in isolation by the time May

rolled around and he was getting

anxious.

“My anniversary was May 5,

1996, so I’m sure I was bugging Dr.

Rubin,” he laughed. “I told him, I

want out, I don’t care if I have to

crawl out. He said ok, but he told,

‘You’ll be back in a week.’”

Gibson’s taste of freedom was

brief, and he landed back in St.

Joe’s for a few more weeks before

coming out for good at the end of

May.

But the road to normalcy was

still long and arduous. He was still

sickly and gaunt, and his trademark

energy was all but gone.

“It would take me five minutes

to walk from my living room,

downstairs and out to the backyard

just to get some fresh air,” he said.

“That’s not more than 25, 30 feet.”

You shuffle, catch your breath and

hold the wall. But I’m just stub-

born, I didn’t need the help.”

Clifton Optimist Awards

Sgt. Billy Gibson will receive the JudgeJoseph J. Salerno Respect for Law Awardfrom the Clifton Optimist Club. He is one offour recipients to be feted at the 2011Awards Dinner which is on May 22 at theClifton Recreation Center, 1232 Main Ave.Other recipients include former NFLer

and 1986 CHS grad, gridiron legend DaveSzott. He will receive the Club’s highesthonor, the 2011 Friend of Youth Award.

Longtime Jr. Mustang Wrestling CoachJack Whiting will receive the CommunityService Award and former CouncilwomanGloria Kolodziej will be honored for herLifetime Achievement.Tickets are $35 and include dinner and

beverages. Checks should be made payableto the Clifton Optimist Club. For more infor-mation, call Optimist member TomHawrylko at 973-253-4400.

Jack Whiting will be honored for Community Service, Gloria Kolodziej forLifetime Achivement and Dave Szott will receive the Friend of Youth Award.

March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 17

503 Paulison Ave., 973-471-08687 am to Midnight • 7 Days A Week Cuellar Family Markets

Michelle Diaz is a Registered Dietitianat the Paulison Ave.ShopRite. She will

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March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 18

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Eventually, his hair and his health began to return.

More exciting was the regaining the ability to taste food

again. To this day, Gibson still remembers the first time

he tasted a real meal again.

“I used to work security at Corrados for years. Jerry

Sr., Joey Sr., and Pete Sr. came to visit me and asked,

Bill, what would you like to eat,” he recalled. “I said

I’d really like to have a steak. And they had a filet

mignon brought over from the store. I must have ate

just a tiny bit of it—I still didn’t have my appetite just

yet—but it was the best steak I’ve ever had.”

Life officially went back to normal when he returned

to work in Sept. 2000. Gibson had been out since injur-

ing his hip in November of the prior year.

“It just felt good going to work,” he recalled. “They

had me as watch commander at first, overseeing the

dispatchers. I called a Sgt. off patrol and then said I

was going to lunch. I took his car just to get out, went

on a ride and just drove around Botany—I love it

there.”

Now, more than a decade later, it’s almost impossi-

ble to pick up what Gibson’s been through just by look-

ing at him. The reminders are subtle scars from where

picks were used to insert chemo, hardly noticeable to

the eye.

But in an odd way, Gibson has come away from the

experience with a positive feeling. Having overcome

such a huge, life-threatening challenge tends to leave

one appreciating life a little more than before.

“You realize that some things in life that you think

are important really aren’t,” explained Gibson. “Like

your health. My family is the most important thing to

me, number one.”

“I really don’t sweat the little things. I’ve been

through enough in life with my family that I think we

can handle just about anything,” he continued. “And

no doubt about it, it brought us closer. I was very, very

lucky that I pulled through cancer, and I’m so lucky to

have met my wife and have the children that I have and

I respect that.”

March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 19

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March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 20

M E D I C I N E

M I R A C L E S&

W hen you call the WeeCare Child CareCenter in Clifton,

you’ll most likely have the pleasure

of speaking with Jennifer Henkel.

She has a very distinctive, laryngi-

tis sounding, squeaky, whisper

voice, but she doesn’t have laryngi-

tis. She has Laryngeal papillomas,

which are benign epithelial tumors

that are caused by infection with

the human papilloma virus (HPV).

Although it most likely will be dif-

ficult to understand her through a

telephone, her enthusiasm, love of

children, and the Wee Care mes-

sage will ring through the tele-

phone loud and clear.

Henkel has been the director for

6 months of the First Presbyterian

Church’s Wee Care Child Care

Center, which has a staff of twenty

employees. She has been working

there as an instructor for eight

years prior to her becoming direc-

tor. Wee Care Child Care Center

currently has 65 children attending

and their ages range from new-

borns to twelve-year-olds since

they have an after school program

that the schooled children get

transported to after their school

day ends. The kids at the center are

very accepting of Henkel’s condi-

tion since most of them have been

there prior to her losing her voice

and her diagnosis. When Jennifer

was a teacher at the center, the kids

knew that she had a speech imper-

fection and because of this she

never had to raise her voice or yell

Jennifer Henkel, center, with some of her students at Wee Care Child Care Center on Maplewood Ave.

One Woman’s Journey withLaryngeal Papillomas

By Chrissie Cluney

March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 21

- which she cannot do. The newer

participants are curious as most

kids are and ask, “When are you

getting it (her voice) back?” with

smiles on their adorable faces.

Having Henkel as the director

shows the children that you can do

anything you put your mind to

despite your current situation.

When interacting with new par-

ents they usually think she’s under

the weather and they question send-

ing their child to the center, but

Henkel explains the situation and

answers any questions they might

have allowing the parents to be at

ease and confident in the center’s

ability to instill the knowledge,

education, and compassion that is

needed for their children to grow

up to be outstanding citizens of the

future.

Communication is difficult

when talking on the telephone as

her voice doesn’t get through to the

person on the other end. She jokes

that when telemarketers call they

feel bad that she “has a cold” so

they state that they’ll call back at

another time. When the Wee Care

Child Care Center is closed due to

inclement weather she is required

to announce it through a voice mes-

sage and she is always afraid that

the parents won’t hear the

announcement and think that the

Center is open when it is not.

Prior to her contracting

Laryngeal papillomas, Henkel

enjoyed singing to herself while

driving in the car, but this has

stopped due to her losing her

singing voice. When her children,

Brian, age seven, and Bridget, age

four, were infants she used to sing

to them and regrets that she can no

longer have that closeness with

them. Last year, her son, Brian, was

enrolled in Catholic school and his

teacher told Henkel that he prayed

everyday that his mother would get

her voice back which saddened

Jennifer.

Henkel enjoys reading her chil-

dren bedtime stories which are

filled with pirates and fantasy for

her son and books that allow her

daughter’s mind to go to far off

places. The characters used to have

specific voices, provided by

Jennifer, to enhance the story, but

she doesn’t have the vocal range

and vocal power to perform those

voices now.

Before 2004, Henkel and her

daughter, Bridget, liked to

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have conversations in the family

car, but presently due to her condi-

tion and the sounds of the car and

outside environment those conver-

sations are different now as

it more difficult due to

Henkel’s very low voice her

daughter to understand her

mother, which disappoints

both of them.

In 2004, life changed

drastically and dramatically

when Jennifer began to

experience post nasal drip

and laryngitis like symp-

toms and just thought that

she was getting a cold. She

visited her doctor’s office

and was told that it would go away

like any normal cold would. When

these symptoms didn’t disappear,

she began the journey of finding

out what the accurate diagnosis

would be. She had gone to count-

less number of ear, nose, and throat

specialists that were on a list of

doctors covered by her first insur-

ance company, Oxford United

Healthcare. It was recommended

to her to call each doctor asking if

they specialized or even knew of

her condition which, in itself, was

a difficult task to accomplish with

a speech problem. The physicians

didn’t know what to diagnose her

condition as. Because of this she

had been wrongfully diagnosed

with having strep throat, acid

reflux, post nasal drip, and severe

allergies. She even went to a plas-

tic surgeon in Oxford’s healthcare

plan because she thought it might

be a nasal problem.

Henkel first heard the

diagnosis of “Laryngeal

papillomas” when she met

with the leading vocal

chord disorders specialist

on the East coast, Dr. Peak

Woo, who was working at

Mount Sinai Hospital, in

New York City, at the time.

He ordered a biopsy to be

taken from Jennifer in

2008. However, within the

first five minutes of meeting

with her and listening to her speak,

she was diagnosed with Laryngeal

papillomas. The surgery was sched-

uled for two months after their ini-

tial meeting.

“…They are the most common

benign neoplasms affecting the lar-

ynx and upper respiratory tract.

Laryngeal papillomatosis, also known as recurrent

respiratory papillomatosis or glottal papillomatosis, is a

rare medical condition caused by a HPV infection of the throat.

Laryngeal papillomatosis causes assorted tumors or papillo-

mas to develop over a period of time. Without treatment it is

potentially fatal as uncontrolled growths could obstruct the

airway. Laryngeal papillomatosis tumors form on the larynx or

other areas of the respiratory tract. These tumors can reoccur

frequently, may require repetitive surgery, and may interfere

with breathing. The disease can be treated with surgery and

antivirals.

March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 23

Malignant degeneration to squamous cell carcinoma

can occur, but is very rare. The overall prevalence

ranges from 2 per 100,000 adults to 4.5 per 100,000

children…” according to the Center for Voice and

Swallowing at UC Davis Health System. This condi-

tion restricts the vocal chords from moving normally.

The virus can come back despite any surgical proce-

dure and is caused by stress. The more stressed a per-

son is, the weaker the immune system becomes. This

condition can sometimes block the airway to result in a

person having asthma. It is not transmitted and it is not

something that is hereditary. If there is anything posi-

tive to be said about this disease is that speaking with it

isn’t painful at all even though it sounds that way.

Henkel’s first surgery took place in 2009 at Mount

Sinai Hospital, New York City, and it included putting

her under anesthesia, shaving her vocal chords with a

laser, and putting anti growth inhibitors on her the

chords to slow down the growth of the virus. It was rec-

ommended for her not to speak for three weeks in order

for the swelling to go down. It took six months for the

swelling to subside, however her condition never went

away because the virus wasn’t totally removed and it

subsequently came back.

“The first surgery was covered by insurance. I was

informed at my post-op visit that he (Dr.Woo) was no

longer a participating doctor under the policy. They

actually said that at the time of my surgery because of

a mix up with his provider number he was no longer a

participant but because of the mix up it was overlooked

and the surgery was covered,” said Henkel.

Recently, Henkel has changed insurance companies

from Oxford to Aetna, and has determined that this

specialist is in the plan, but due to personal circum-

stances, Henkel will have to go through the transition

process with insurance companies again and has opted

to wait to look into seeing if her vocal chord special-

ist is in a new plan until she is sure that she will keep

the new insurance company. Her biggest annoyance

with insurance companies is “being directed to doc-

tors who the insurance companies think will assist me

just to find out that the doctor can’t diagnose the prob-

lem,” said Jennifer Also Henkel finds the lack of

knowledge of medical diagnoses that the insurance

companies are unaware of is frustrating. The out of

pocket cost of the Laryngeal papillomas surgery is

approximately $5,000, which is more than Henkel can

afford.

If Henkel were able to find an insurance company

who has Dr. Woo in their network and has the second

surgery she would get most of her speaking voice back

which would be a blessing to both her and her family.

She wants the public to know that the condition of

Laryngeal papillomas is out there and for us to have the

knowledge that this disease can sneak up on a person at

any time and that it is not something that she ever

thought would happen to her.

Jennifer Henkel: wife, mother, director, and survivor

of overcoming the obstacles in her life everyday proves

that anything is possible if you just believe in yourself

and in your abilities.

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Nature has seen fit to provide human mouths with a naturalassortment of bacteria types that vary from individual toindividual. Many of these bacteria types are harmless, butseveral types that many of us have produce acids as abyproduct of their metabolism. These types ingest the samefoods we do, with a special love for refined carbohydrates.

They also produce a sticky matrix (plaque) on whichthey accumulate quickly. If not mechanically removed intwenty-four hours, they are numerous enough to produceacid concentrated enough to eat through tooth enamel.Once the tooth structure is soften by the acid the bacteriathen invade the tooth and begin to consume it, reproduce,produce more acid, etc. Subsequent decay progressioncan result in the bacteria invading the blood vessel/ nervecomplex deep inside the tooth with the possible resultof a severe toothache, a chronic draining infection,or an infection that can spread throughout the body.

Once you can “see” a hole in the tooth or feelsensitivity to cold or sweet from acavity the tooth is already severe-ly damaged.

Bacterial accumulation of a dif-ferent type, those that do not loveacid or oxygen-rich envi-ronments, can causeinflammation of theperiodontal (gum) sup-port of the teeth. Thiseventually causes boneloss on the tooth sock-ets as the accumulationcontinues on the toothroot surfaces, with real

loosening of the teeth and loss of both tooth and bone apotentiality.

All these tooth woes are caused by bacterial accumula-tion in the presence of the chemicals in the foods we eatand drink. The simple remedy is to physically disrupt theiraccumulation very regularly and methodically.

It is necessary to brush each tooth surface; inside biting,and outside very thoroughly with out missing any. Anglingthe bristles of the brush into the gumline at 45 degree angleprovides best reach under gum and in between teeth whereaccumulation is fastest. Flossing is necessary to disruptbacteria where the teeth touch each other and on thebetween surfaces below the tooth contacts.

Brushing and flossing is best performed upon rising,after meals or snacks and right before retiring. Thelast tooth cleaning of the day is very important asbacteria multiply fastest when we sleep due to lesssaliva dilution and self cleaning oral movements.

The average person with good oral hygienehabits should also have a professional den-

tal cleaning and exam with selectedlimited x-rays to detect new cavitiesevery 6 months. Some need morefrequent maintenance depending onseverity of bacterial activity natu-rally present or on the ability ofthe patient to control it.This regular maintenance is

not expensive, even in a non-insured private practice situation.

What is always costly, both in terms ofhealth results and monetary involve-ment, is the repair of damage.

The Best Dentistry is Preventive

973-365-1267 • www.RickPaternosterDDS.com

A

March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 25

A s the cost of healthcare in

the United States continues

to skyrocket, some people

are coming to realize that they need

to do more than swallow pharmaceu-

tical pills to get well and stay well.

Increasingly, evidence is point-

ing to the importance of consuming

a diet rich in good quality fruits and

vegetables, whole grains and other

plant-based nutrients, as well as

taking appropriate supplements,

getting regular exercise and finding

ways to reduce the stresses of life

that take their toll on the body.

“One has to take responsibility

for his or her own health and it real-

ly requires a full-time effort,” said

Dr. Glenn Gero. “Wellness is not a

part-time job.”

Dr. Gero is a Clifton-based

naturopathic specialist whose focus

is on helping patients get back on

the road to good health and lifelong

wellness through natural therapies

rather than relying on drugs alone

to quell their symptoms.

According to Dr. Gero, many ill-

nesses, particularly long-term chron-

ic conditions such as allergies, diges-

tive disorders, depression, pain, and

even diabetes and heart disease, are

actually symptoms of physiological

imbalances in the body often caused

by a lack of attention to healthy

behaviors and exposure to toxins in

the environment.

Dr. Gero holds a doctor of natur-

opathy degree from Trinity College

of Natural Health and is completing

a doctor of science degree in nutri-

tion from Hawthorne University.

Among his other credentials, he is a

registered nutrition counselor, a

trained medical exercise specialist

and cancer exercise specialist, and a

certified biofeedback therapist.

Naturopaths, such as Dr. Gero,

do not prescribe pharmaceutical

medications. Instead, they review

blood chemistry as well as the

M E D I C I N E

M I R A C L E S

Holistic HealthTaking responsibility for your health the natural way

By Carol Leonard

&

Dr. Glenn Gero on the Passaic River.

Th

March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 26

patient’s symptoms, diet and

lifestyle, and may administer or

recommend other appropriate tests

to uncover areas of imbalance or

stress in the body.

This review may also include

assessing the side effects of prescrip-

tion medications the patient is taking

and how these drugs may be deplet-

ing the body of vital nutrients. For

example, certain cholesterol lower-

ing medications, also known as

statins, have been known to inhibit

the body’s production of CoQ10, an

enzyme that, among other benefits,

is vital to heart strength and muscle

health. In such a case, the treatment

plan may include a recommendation

that the patient take a CoQ10 supple-

ment or consider other natural ways

to lower cholesterol.

As Dr. Gero explained, the role of

naturopathic doctors is to uncover the

source of the patient’s disorder rather

than just treating the symptoms.

“I consider myself more of a

physiological detective,” he said.

“The biggest difference between

naturopathic doctors and conven-

tional medical doctors is that we

don’t treat disease, we treat the

imbalances that cause disease.”

Dr. Gero always tells his patients

to let their medical doctors know that

they are seeing him. He also tries to

have a dialogue with a patient’s med-

ical doctor to find areas of agreement

in the treatment plan and to suggest

appropriate modifications to prescrip-

tions and medication dosages.

“I believe in integrative medi-

cine,” he said. “In some cases, a

pharmaceutical drug can save a

patient’s life. But integrating con-

ventional medical care with the nat-

ural laws of healthy living is going to

produce the most optimal outcome.”

Following his comprehensive

Dr. Glenn Gero at his practice at 256 Colfax Ave.

assessment of the patient’s biochem-

istry, medications, diet and lifestyle,

Dr. Gero develops a treatment plan

with the patient that focuses on the

whole person -- body, mind and spir-

it. This may include recommenda-

tions for improvement in diet as well

as supplements such as certain vita-

mins, minerals and herbs. It is almost

certain to also include a plan to

increase physical activity through

daily exercise. “I consider exercise to

be a magic bullet to good health and

the prevention of illness,” he said.

Dr. Gero also helps his patients

overcome and deal with stress and

the negative influences in their

lives that contribute to poor health.

“I strongly believe in the mind-

body connection and its influence

on wellness,” he said.

Inside his Holistic Naturopathic

Center at 256 Colfax Ave., Dr. Gero

has a fully equipped fitness room,

where he works with patients on

corrective exercises and teaches

them about the healthful benefits of

daily fitness activities.

He also has a room dedicated to

biofeedback training, where he uses

computerized electronic instrumenta-

tion to help some patients overcome

physiological patterns of behavior,

often unconscious, that may result in

such symptoms as high blood pres-

sure, headaches, insomnia, depres-

sion, anxiety and poor digestion.

Another room houses a medical

sauna, where, through the use of

infrared heat, patients can receive

relief from back and shoulder pain,

migraine headaches, fibromyalgia

and various other conditions and

discomforts.

Dr. Gero is one of about only two

dozen qualified naturopathic doctors

in the state, so his patients come

from far and wide to see him. He

says that on average patients travel

about 45 minutes to his office.

Among his more local patients is

84 year-old Clifton resident Peter

Ciolino. His daughter Michele

Ciolino brought him to see Dr.

Gero last summer following a bout

with vasculitis, an autoimmune dis-

order that developed following an

infection that had settled in his

lung. The condition led to kidney

failure, hospitalization and

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the need to be on dialysis and

Prednisone, a corticosteroid med-

ication. Long-term use of corticos-

teroids can lead to weight gain,

muscle weakness, osteoporosis and

other secondary medical problems.

When efforts to wean Ciolino off

Prednisone resulted in a relapse, his

primary care physician suggested

that he consult with Dr. Gero for

other options.

Upon evaluating his case, Dr.

Gero recommended a number of

natural supplements to maintain

current levels of kidney function,

as well as improve lung function

and normalize his immunity.

Michele said that she discussed

with Dr. Gero some other natural

anti-inflammatory supplements for

her father that she had researched

and he agreed that they should also

give them a try.

Ciolino has been totally off

Prednisone since January and,

according to his daughter, is doing

fine without the medication.

“The amazing thing is that with-

out the natural supplementation he

had a relapse,” Michele said. “But

when we added what Dr. Gero rec-

ommended, he did so much better.”

Dr. Gero said that he spends about

an hour to an hour and a half with

patients, far more time than the aver-

age visit with most medical doctors.

He is very pleased when patients

or family members come to him

armed with information about their

conditions from the internet or

other sources. “I want my patients

to come in here informed,” he said.

“An informed patient is a better,

more motivated patient.”

Dr. Gero completes about 200-

400 hours of continuing education

every year. “This is an information

booming society,” he said. “I’m in

a position of responsibility and I

need to stay ahead of my patients.”

He believes that patients need to

work in partnership with their doc-

tors and must be willing to make

the necessary changes in their lives

to get well.

He said, “I always tell my patients,

if you come to me today, I can help

you feel better in seven days. But it’s

not just about feeling better next

week. You have to change your per-

spective. It’s how you feel five years

from now that will tell me if I have

truly made a difference in your life.”

While many people would refer

to Dr. Gero’s practice as “alterna-

tive medicine,” he believes it’s the

other way around. “Natural reme-

dies are the oldest form of medi-

cine,” he said. “How could eating

right, the absorption of vital nutri-

ents, exercise and the avoidance of

aberrant thinking ever be consid-

ered alternative? The real alterna-

tive medicine is drugs and surgery.”

To learn more about Dr. Gero

and the Holistic Naturopathic

Center, visit his website at:

www.holisticnaturopath.com.

March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 30

M E D I C I N E

M I R A C L E S

Proof PositiveIt’s all about attitude when you’re dealing with cancer

By Joe Hawrylko

&

T wenty three year oldsdon’t get cancer. That’s

the first thing that raced

through Brooke Van Beveren’s

mind when her doctor revealed that

the lumps on her neck tested posi-

tive for Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

“Apparently, it’s normal for

younger people to get it,” she said.

Hodgkin’s, a cancer of white blood

cells, primarily effects people aged 15

to 35, or those over 55. “You know

when you’re sick and your lymph

nodes swell up? Well after a couple

months, mine never went down.”

The diagnosis was delivered in

July 2010 and Van Beveren’s doc-

tors immediately set out to address

the disease.

“The one doctor said, if you’re

going to have cancer, this is one of

the best ones to have,” she laughed.

“I was worried, but not as worried

as most people would probably

think. I mean, I was a little scared,

but I guess I had faith in medicine.”

The first order of business when

dealing with such a life altering dis-

ease is to find a knowledgeable and

friendly doctor to put together a

plan for treatment.

“He felt like a grandpa,” Van

Beveren said of the doctor she

selected. “He was very nice and I

trusted him. He said it was very

early and he said that I probably

only had it for about six months.

But it was fast growing.”

Van Beveren, a member of the

CHS Class of 2005 and a 2010

Seton Hall Grad, was lucky that her

cancer was detected early. She

experienced few symptoms from

the cancer besides back aches and

cold sweat. However, Van Beveren

would still have to endure rounds

of debilitating chemotherapy and

Brooke Van Beveren, a 2005 CHS alum, survived Hodgkins Lymphoma.

March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 31

North Jersey Eye Associates

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North Jersey Eye Associates1005 Clifton Ave., Clifton, NJ

973-472-4114For directions and more information

William S. Lesko, M.D. F.A.C.S.

Stuart E Wunsh, M.D. F.A.C.S.

Cecily Lesko, M.D. F.A.C.S.

Patricia Cucci, M.D. F.A.C.S.

Same Day, Sutureless,Laser Surgery

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radiation treatments, each having

many side effects.

“Chemo was very challenging,”

she recalled. “The first two, my

body was reacting fine, but then the

third and fourth ones, I was sick. I

would be nauseous for a week after

the chemo. But, oddly enough, eat-

ing helped me not feel as nauseous.”

Van Beveren was most con-

cerned about hair loss, but ulti-

mately experienced very little.

“I was really worried about my

hair at first. I must have asked

about it a lot. But eventually, you

realize it’s only hair, they make

wigs,” she said. “It ended up thin-

ning out a lot, but if you didn’t

know me or how much hair I had,

you’d never notice.”

Besides the treatments and doc-

tor appointments, Van Beveren did

her best to live life as if she was

cancer free. The only major change

was taking a four month leave from

her job at Brookstone in the

Paramus Park Mall, returning in

October.

“It didn’t really effect me emo-

tionally so much,” she said. “You

do sometimes think why me, but I

think I had a good attitude towards

everything and I think that helped.”

And if for some reason she was

ever lacking self motivation, Van

Beveren could count of having her

spirits lifted by the generosity of

her Clifton neighbors.

The VFW Post 7165 on Valley

Rd. hosted a fundraiser for Van

Beveren on Sept. 19 of last year,

raising over $10,000. The Boys &

Girls Club also held a benefit beef-

steak on Nov. 12. At The

Clif on Clifton Ave. collection buckets were kept on the

bartop for several months by owner Skip Kazer.

Many more donations and kind gestures were

received, including some from kind hearted strangers

that Van Beveren had never

even met.

“I was not at all expect-

ing anything like that at

all,” she said. “People were

constantly calling the

house.”

“There are people that I

haven’t even talked to since

high school that showed up

at the brunch, sent me ran-

dom emails or facebook

messages telling me that

they’re praying for me,” Van

Beveren continued. “It’s very surprising. You have all

these people that you haven’t seen in years actually

thinking about you. It makes you feel good. I definite-

ly wasn’t expecting that.”

The support helped keep the Cliftonite positive while

enduring the poisonous chemicals needed to kill the can-

cer. This winter, while wapping up her final radiation

treatments, doctors informed the Cliftonite that her can-

cer had gone into remission.

“When I told everyone before Christmas that I was can-

cer free, my mom started cry-

ing and then my dad started

crying,” she laughed. “I

guess you could say it was

one of the best Christmas

presents you could ask for.”

Van Beveren’s radiation

therapy was completed on

Feb. 1. Now cancer free, all

that’s left are her regular

scans to make sure that the

disease stays dormant and

some tweaks to make sure it

doesn’t come back.

“It definitely makes me want to get back into shape and

start exercising again,” she said. “That’s really helpful in

staying cancer free The doctors told me that it’s not sup-

posed to change my life, but that I’m supposed to work in

the changes into my life.”

Although Van Beveren completed her treatments

weeks ago, she’s yet to celebrate the milestone.

“I figure I’ll wait for my birthday,” laughed Van

Beveren, who will turn 24 on March 4. “I’m too nerv-

ous to celebrate right away. You have this feeling, you

ask yourself, is it really gone?”

Even after all the chemo, radiation therapy and other

treatments, the whole experience is still surreal.

“It’s one of those things you think would never hap-

pen to you, especially at this age. You just can’t imagine

it happening to yourself,” she said. “I guess you do take

some things for granted.”

March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 32

973-772-8451Roofing • Siding

Seamless Gutters Additions • Alterations

Hodgkin’s lymphoma is most common among people

ages 15-35 and 50-70. It is thought that the Epstein-Barr

virus (also the cause of mononucleosis) contribues to most cases.

See a doctor if the following symptoms persist for several weeks:

swollen lymph nodes, itchy skin, fatigue, weight loss, night sweats

and random fever and chills.

Hodgkin’s is considered one of the most curable forms of can-

cer. If caught in Stage Two or earlier, the survival rate for 10 years

is more than 90%. Even if it is diagnosed later, the survival rate

is still near 90 percent and those who remain cancer free for 15

years often remain so for life.

March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 33

E ­­rin­ Cluney­ originally­ of­ Clifton,­ New­ Jersey,

currently­ residing­ in­New­York­City,­ ran­a­26.2

mile­ marathon­ in­ PF­ Chang’s­ Rock’N’Roll

Marathon­ Series­ in­ Phoenix,­Arizona­ on­ January­ 16th,

2011.­ Cluney­ and­ co-workers­ from­ Coach,­ Inc­ were

members­of­Team­in­Training­which­is­the­world’s­largest

endurance­ sports­ training­ program,­ and­ all­ donations

benefited­The­Leukemia­&­Lymphoma­Society.­

Cluney­began­her­marathon­career­in­October­of­2009

when­she­began­training­for­the­first­time­for­a­marathon

that­was­held­in­Paris,­France­where­she­finished­with­a

time­of­5:41.­Recently,­Cluney­finished­the­PF­Chang’s

Rock’n’Roll­ Marathon­ Series­ with­ a­ time­ of­ 5:27,­ an

improvement­of­14­minutes.­

Cluney­ran­in­honor­of­Billy­Maurer,­of­Clifton,­who

is­ a­ longtime­ family­ friend.­ Maurer­ was­ diagnosed­ in

October­2005­with­Multiple­Myeloma­which­is­cancer­of

the­blood.­After­a­stem­cell­transplant­in­December­2006,

his­ cancer­ is­ now­ in­ remission.­ Maurer­ has­ had­ two

strokes,­one­in­April­and­another­in­November­of­2010.

“He­attends­physical­therapy­on­an­outpatient­basis.­His

recovery­ has­ been­ remarkable­ despite­ all­ his­ health

setbacks­and­he­is­continuing­to­make­strides­everyday”

says­Danielle­Beazley,­daughter­of­Maurer.­­

When­ asked­ how­ the­Maurer­ family­ is­ coping­with

Maurer’s­diagnosis,­Ashley­Maurer,­of­Clifton,­said,­“Our

family­is­holding­up­the­best­that­we­can.­We­all­love­each

other­very­much­and­we­are­each­other's­shoulder's­to­lean

on.­The­most­difficult­part­is­the­fact­that­my­father­can't

speak­all­that­much,­so­it­is­hard­for­him­to­communicate

with­us­but­we­manage­to­understand­him.­The­best­part

is­that­he­still­has­his­sense­of­humor­and­he­knows­how

to­ laugh­ and­ as­ a­ family­ we

always­ have­ a­ good­ time­ no

matter­ what.­ My­ father­ would

not­want­any­of­us­to­feel­sorry

for­him,­so­our­lives­go­on,­but

he­is­still­here­and­that­is­all­we

can­ask­for!”

Cluney­ is­ Senior­ Planning

Manager­for­Coach’s­Full­Price

North­American­Retail.­ In­ this

position,­ she­ is­ responsible­ for

creating­ sales­ plans­ to­ hit­ the

company’s­ overall­ corporate

financial­ targets,­ and­ buying­ the­ inventory­ to­ support

those­ sales­ for­ Coach­ Inc’s­ North­ American­ Retail

business.­ With­ the­ assistance­ of­ generous­ family­ and

friends,­Cluney­raised­$3,605.00­and­the­Coach,­Inc­team

raised­ $100,000.00.­Since­Coach­has­ attained­ this­ high

level­of­fundraising,­an­LLS­researcher­working­to­find

better­treatments­for­blood­cancer­will­be­named­in­honor

of­Team­Coach's­efforts.

Additional­donations­can­be­made­to­The­Leukemia

&­ Lymphoma­ Society­ by­ visiting­ Erin­ Cluney’s

donation­ page­ at­ http://pages.teamintraining.org/nyc/

pfchangs11/ecluney.

Erin Cluney, with her friend Billy Maurer.

M E D I C I N E

M I R A C L E S

Running LongFor Billy Maurer and The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

By Chrissy Cluney

&

March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 34

M E D I C I N E

M I R A C L E S

HometownDoctor

&

By Carol Leonard

I f you happen to be a patientat­the­Clifton­Immedicenter­on

Broad­St.,­chances­are­that­you

have­ been­ treated­ one­ or­ more

times­by­Dr.­Thomas­Del­Casale.­

Aside­ from­ the­ center’s

cofounder­and­owner,­Dr.­Michael

Basista,­Dr.­Del­Casale­is­the­most

senior­member­of­the­medical­staff

at­ the­ Immedicenter,­where­he­has

worked­for­more­than­20­years.

A­ native­ of­ Saddle­ Brook­ who

still­lives­in­the­area,­Dr.­Del­Casale

said­he­knew­from­a­young­age­that

he­ wanted­ a­ career­ in­ the­ science

field.­ After­ graduating­ with­ a

degree­ in­ biology­ from­ Rutgers

Newark­University,­ he­went­ on­ to

attend­ New­ York­ College­ of

Osteopathic­Medicine.

If­ you­ pick­ up­ one­ of­ Dr.­ Del

Casale’s­business­cards­or­receive­a

prescription­ from­ him,­ you­ will

notice­ the­ designation,­ “D.O.”

instead­ of­ “M.D.”­ after­ his­ name.

This­is­because­graduates­of­osteo-

pathic­medical­ schools­ receive­ the

title,­ “doctor­ of­ osteopathic­medi-

cine,”­ rather­ than­ the­ usual­ “med-

ical­doctor”­designation.

According­ to­ Dr.­ Del­ Casale,

there­ isn’t­ much­ difference­ in­ the

curriculum­at­regular­or­osteopath-

ic­ medical­ schools.­ Osteopathic

physicians­ just­ receive­ additional

training­in­the­musculoskeletal­sys-

tem­and­can­perform­manipulation

techniques­ somewhat­ similar­ to

those­used­by­chiropractors.­In­the

United­States,­DOs­and­MDs­have

the­ same­ medical­ practice­ rights

and­philosophies­of­patient­care.

Following­graduation­from­med-

ical­ school,­ Dr.­ Del­ Casale­ com-

pleted­a­general­residency­program

at­ Kennedy­ Memorial­ Hospital­ in

Saddle­ Brook­ (which­ now­ houses

Kessler­Rehabilitation­Center)­and

a­ residency­ in­ family­ practice­ at

West­Essex­Hospital.

At­ the­ time­ that­ he­ joined­ the

Immedicenter­following­completion

of­ his­ second­ residency­ program,

free-standing­ urgent­ care­ centers

were­ a­ fairly­ new­ concept.­ In­ fact,

when­ the­ Clifton­ Immedicenter

opened­in­1984­at­its­original­small-

er­location­on­the­other­side­of­Broad

St.,­it­was­the­first­of­its­kind­in­this

part­of­New­Jersey.

“I­wasn’t­ready­to­start­a­practice

of­my­own­and­I­ thought­ it­would

give­ me­ a­ broad­ range­ of­ experi-

ence­ with­ different­ kinds­ of

Dr. Thomas Del Casale and Dr. Michael Basista.

March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 35

patients,”­Dr.­Del­Casale­said.­

The­original­ idea­of­urgent­care

centers­was­to­provide­a­convenient

walk-in­ facility­ in­ the­ community

with­extended­hours­where­people

with­episodic­illnesses­or­non-life-

threatening­or­minor­injuries­could

come­seven­days­a­week­for­ treat-

ment­instead­of­traveling­to­a­hos-

pital­emergency­room.

Over­the­years­that­Dr.­Del­Casale

has­been­with­the­Immedicenter,­he

has­ seen­ an­ expansion­ of­ this­ con-

cept­ to­ also­ provide­ a­ setting­ for

ongoing­medical­care­for­individuals

and­ families.­ Today,­ about­ 50­ per-

cent­of­business­is­from­patients­who

use­ the­ Immedicenter’s­ doctors­ as

their­primary­care­physicians.

“We’re­ still­ like­ a­ mini­ emer-

gency­room­for­people­who­walk­in

with­injuries­and­different­types­of

illnesses,”­he­said.­“But­people­can

also­make­appointments­for­routine

physicals­and­follow-up­visits.”

Additionally,­ Immedicenter

patients­can­make­an­appointment­or

just­walk­into­the­facility­to­receive

flu­shots­and­other­vaccinations,­and

the­center­contracts­with­a­number­of

employers­in­the­area­to­treat­work-

er’s­compensation­cases.

The­Clifton­Immedicenter­as­well

as­ the­ center’s­ other­ facilities­ in

Bloomfield­and­Totowa­offer­patients

who­need­them­on-site­visits­with­cer-

tain­medical­specialists­at­least­once­a

week.­These­include­a­gastroenterolo-

gist,­a­cardiologist,­an­orthopedic­sur-

geon­and­a­vascular­specialist.

“Patients­ like­ the­ feeling­ of

being­ able­ to­ come­ back­ to­ the

same­medical­practice­for­this­care

instead­ of­ being­ referred­ else-

where,”­Dr.­Del­Casale­said.

The­ Immedicenters­ also­ offer

some­cosmetology­services,­such­as

hair­removal,­Botox­and­Juvederm.

During­ an­ average­ shift­ in

Clifton­ or­ at­ the­ Bloomfield

Immedicenter,­ where­ he­ also­ is

assigned,­ Dr.­ Del­ Casale­ treats

about­30­patients­of­all­ages.

On­ a­ typical­ day­ he­may­ see­ a

variety­of­cases,­ranging­from­peo-

ple­with­sore­throats,­ear­aches­and

gastrointestinal­ complaints,­ to

sprained­ ankles,­ cuts­ that­ need

stitches­ and­ even­ children­ with

small­objects­stuck­up­their­noses.­

“You­ just­ never­ know­ what’s

going­to­walk­through­the­door,”­he

said.

He­ especially­ enjoys­ seeing

regular­patients­who­come­in­with

appointments­ for­ annual­ physical

exams,­also­known­as­well­visits.

Many­of­these­people­specifically

ask­to­be­seen­by­Dr.­Del­Casale,

so­ it­gives­him­a­better­chance­to

get­to­know­them­and­their­health

histories,­ and­ to­ offer­ advice

about­ preventative­ care­ and

screenings.

He­feels­that­the­most­challeng-

ing­ cases­ are­when­people­present

with­ chest­ pain,­ headaches­ or

severe­abdominal­pain.­

“With­ those­ I­ need­ to­ be­ very

careful­ not­ to­ miss­ anything,”­ he

said.­ “Sometimes,­ there­ are­ cases

that­we­ just­ can’t­ handle­ here­ and

we­need­ to­send­ them­to­an­emer-

gency­room­or­a­specialist.”

He­recalled­the­case­from­a­few

years­ago­of­a­man­ in­his­ late­50s

who­came­in­with­chest­pain.­

“He­ had­ a­ normal­ EKG,­ but­ I

just­had­a­feeling­something­wasn’t

right,­ so­ I­ sent­ him­ to­ the­ emer-

gency­room­for­more­tests,”­Dr.­Del

Casale­ said.­ “He­ was­ resistant­ to

go,­ but­ I­ convinced­ his­ family­ to

take­him.­It­ turned­out­ that­he­had

to­have­seven­cardiac­stents­put­in.

You­just­need­to­have­a­high­index

of­suspicion­with­cases­like­that.”

All­patients­who­are­seen­at­ the

Immedicenter­ receive­ a­ follow­ up

call­ the­ next­ day­ from­ one­ of­ the

nurses­ to­ see­ how­ they­ are­ doing.

Dr.­Del­Casale­feels­that­it’s­a­good

practice­ that­ many­ patients­ don’t

expect,­but­appreciate.­

“They­may­have­questions­about

their­medication­ or­ there­ is­ some-

thing­ they­ don’t­ understand,”­ he

said.­“Some­people­are­too­embar-

rassed­to­call,­so­this­gives­them­an

opportunity­to­clear­it­up.”

When­ asked­ what­ advice­ he

would­ give­ to­ people­ to­ stay­well

and­ free­of­ illness,­Dr.­Del­Casale

had­the­following­pointers:­

• Don’t smoke.• Try to exercise regularly, even if it’s just walking.

• Eat a healthy diet and avoid anexcess of saturated fat.

• Get a proper amount of sleep, at least seven hours every night.

• Get regular physical exams and do preventive screening.

He­also­recommended­that­people

maintain­ good­ communication­ with

their­doctors­and­avoid­using­the­inter-

net­or­what­they­hear­in­the­media­as­a

diagnostic­tool­for­themselves.­

“Stay­ informed,­ but­ be­ careful

where­you­get­your­medical­ infor-

mation,”­he­said.

March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 36

M E D I C I N E

M I R A C L E S

The PioneersClifton Drs. were on the cutting edge of cataract surgery

&

By Joe Hawrylko

In 2011, a cataract is some-thing that­can­be­removed­and

treated­ in­ a­ surgery­ center­ in

about­an­hour.­­But­that­was­not­that

case­ in­ the­ 1970s,­ when­ Drs.

William­ Lesko­ and­ Stuart­ Wunsh

of­ North­ Jersey­ Eye­ Associates

were­among­ the­ first­ in­ the­ region

to­ practice­ newly­ developed­ sur-

gery­ techniques­ for­ treating

cataracts.

This­tale’s­origins­trace­back­to

World­ War­ II,­ when­ a­ British

opthalmologist­ Sir­ Harold­ Ridley

made­ an­ observation­ that­ would

revolutionize­ vision­ correction

forever.­­

The­ doctor­ was­ most

often­ called­ upon­ to

remove­ foreign­ objects

from­ the­ eyes­ of­ his

patients.­­In­most­instances,

if­left­untouched,­the­object

will­ ultimately­ cause

irreparable­ vision­ damage

to­the­eye,­if­not­destroy­it

entirely.­­

However,­ Ridley­ had

documented­ several

instances­where­gunners­aboard­B-

17­ Flying­ Fortress­ bombers­ were

admitted­ with­ shrapnel­ wounds.

Despite­ having­ shards­ of­ acrylic

plastic­ from­ the­ protective­ gunner

canopies­lodged­in­the­eye,­patients

did­ not­ exhibit­ any­ signs­ of­ the

body­rejecting­the­foreign­objects.

Ridley­ used­ his­ observations

from­the­battlefield­as­inspiration­in

his­ trained­ field,­ and­ ultimately

developed­ a­ prototype­ for­ an

intralocular­lens­for­use­in­cataract

surgery­ in­1949.­ ­The­process­was

gradually­ refined­ over­ the

Dr. William Lesko, his daughter, Dr. Cecily Lesko,and Dr. Stuart Wunsh.

A cataract

is the clouding of

the crystalline lens in the

eye, which can gradually

cause vision loss and

potentially blindness.

Treatment requires the

removal of the lenses and

the insertion of a prosthe-

sis.

March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 37

March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 38

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March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 39

next­two­decades­and­began­to­per-

meate­the­medical­market.

In­1977,­Lesko,­then­also­a­pro-

fessor­ at­ Mount­ Sinai­ Medical

School,­was­among­the­first­ in­ the

region­ to­ utilize­ the­ cutting­ edge

technology­in­practice.

“St.­ Mary’s­ sprung­ for­ the

research,”­ he­ explained.­ ­ By­ the

1980s,­ the­ procedure­ eventually

came­to­be­the­standard­for­cataract

treatment.­­Lesko,­who­has­had­his

own­practice­since­1968,­explained

how­the­eyecare­field­has­dramati-

cally­ evolved­ over­ the­ past­ 40

years.

“What­we’re­ able­ to­ do­ now­ is

phenomenal,”­ he­ explained.­ ­ “We

used­to­have­to­keep­people­in­the

hospital­ for­ seven­ days­ and­ now

they­ go­ to­ the­ surgery­ center­ and

they’re­in­and­out­within­an­hour.”

Further­ advances­ have­ now

made­ the­entire­process­more­effi-

cient.­ ­ The­ incision­ needed­ to­ put

the­ lenses­ was­ once­ as­ large­ as­ 8

millimeters,­while­new­technology

allows­ for­ microscopic­ insertion

points­as­small­as­1.8­millimeters.

Dr.­ Wunsh­ is­ also­ specially

trained­ in­ phaco-emulsification,

which­ is­ the­ use­ of­ ultrasonic

waves­to­break­up­cataracts­or­other

tissue­prior­to­lens­insertion.

“Now­ we­ have­ on­ the­ drawing

board­a­lenses­that­you­can­put­in­the

eye­and­use­a­corrective­laser­to­place

it­while­it’s­inside,”­added­Lesko.

Today,­ the­ two­work­ out­ of­ the

practice­office­on­Clifton­Ave.­and

their­ surgery­ center­ in­ Fairlawn.

They’ve­ since­ been­ joined­ by

Lesko’s­daughter,­Cecily,­who­rep-

resents­the­next­generation­of­oph-

thalmologists­ in­ Clifton.­ ­ She­ uti-

lizes­ modern­ intraocular­ lenses­ to

correct­ astigmatism­ and­ focusing

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March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 40

By Joe Hawrylko

B ob Smith still vividlyremembers being­ so­ large

that­ just­getting­up­a­flight

up­presented­a­challenge­that­would

leave­him­out­of­breath.

“My­whole­story­is­that­I­always

worry­ about­ going­ back­ to­ being

heavy­ again,”­ he­ said.­ ­ “That­ was

my­whole­issue,­going­back­to­that.”

Most­ of­ his­ photos­ from­ adult

him­ show­ Smith­ as­ a­ heavy­ set

man.­­It­wasn’t­always­that­way.

“I­ was­ kind­ of­ skinny­ as­ a­ kid

but­then­I­started­to­gradually­gain

weight,”­ he­ said.­ ­ “It­ seemed­ like

after­I­quit­smoking­is­when­I­real-

ly­started­to­gain.”

“It’s­ been­ over­ give­ years­ now

and­most­off­it­was­taken­off­in­the

first­year,­year­and­a­half,”­he­said.

“It’s­ hard­ to­ get­ over­ 150­ pounds

now.”

The­deciding­factor­in­making­a

change­was­the­never­ending­health

problems­from­his­weight.

“I­ did­ it­ for­ the­ health­ reasons.

Diabetes,­high­blood­pressure—all

gone,”­he­said.­­“I­was­always­tired.

I­had­no­energy.­­I­had­back­and­leg

pain.­­When­a­doctor­told­me­I­had

diabetes,­I­tried­losing­weight­a­lit-

tle­ bit­ but­ the­ diets­weren’t­work-

ing.­ ­ I­ have­ terrible­ eating­ habits

still­to­this­day.”

Smith,­ who­ owns­ Clifton­Auto

repair­shop­on­Sabago­St.,­said­one

of­ the­ main­ traps­ is­ buying­ lunch

almost­ every­ day.­ ­ “I­ never­ took

time­out­to­eat.­­I­eat­because­I­had

to,”­he­explained.­­“And­I­ate­at­the

wrong­ times­ too.­ ­ I­ ate­ before­ I

went­ to­ bed,­ late­ at­ night.­ ­ Binge

eating­maybe­you’d­call­it.­­I­didn’t

even­eat­a­real­lot­ever­really,­it­was

just­all­at­the­wrong­times.”

M E D I C I N E

M I R A C L E S&

Weigh to GoBob Smith shed 200lbs

continued on page 45

Bob Smith in a recent photo five years after his lap band surgery.

March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 41

18,983. That is the num-ber of names inscribedon the National LawEnforcement OfficersMonument and Memorialin Washington D.C. Eachname represents a sadstory of an officer fromacross the U.S. killed inthe line of duty, including Clifton Police OfficerJohn Samra, who died in the line of duty on Nov.

21, 2003. To raise awareness of Fallen Officers and to raisefunds for that memorial, the Clifton Police Department sends ateam of bicyclists and support people every year on a 300 milebicycle trek.

This year’s trip begins on May 9 and arrives inWashington 3 days later. The Clifton team joins over 1,000

other riders and support people and together they must raiseover $1.3 million to help complete that monument and muse-

POLICE UNITY TOURWe Ride For Those Who Have Died.

How Can You Help?

ATTEND A FUNDRAISER:March 10, 2011 • 8pm

Pub Night Fundraiserat Pub 46

April 10, 2011 • 4 - 8pm

Pasta Dinner at The Boys & Girls Clubof Clifton

BUY A RAFFLE TICKET:$5.00 T.V. RaffleTickets (See page 00)

$5.00 Bike RaffleTickets (See page 00)

MAKE A CONTRIBUTION: Officer John Kavakich973-470-5897

Tom Hawrylko973-253-4400

Officer John Samra

March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 42

Thanks to all who have contributed or supported us in any way or amount.

um in the nation’s capitol. Over $28,000 of those funds must be raised by Clifton

members of the Police Unity Tour and we are asking foryour help. There are a number of ways you can contribute.Participating members are selling $5 raffles for a chance towin one of two tvs or a TREK bicycle. Attend a fundraiser or

make a contribution. In advance, we’d like to say your sup-port is greatly appreciated.

Go to www.policeunitytour.com for details or check outwww.cliftonpba36.com. To help out, purchase tickets ormake a donation, call Clifton Police Officer John Kavakich at973-470-5897 or Tom Hawrylko at 973-253-4400.

March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 43

CyclistRobert BaisRandy ColondresRichard DiBelloBrian FopmaTom HawrylkoJohn KavakichCharles KazimirDavid KishbaughElena Siery

Motor EscortsWilliam BaisRobert BielstenDarren BrodieDerek Fogg

Support TeamRocco LocantoreMichael McLaughlin

Our thanks to Joey Barcellona of Bliss Lounge who hosted a benefit happy hour on Feb. 4and donated nearly $4,000 to help fund the Clifton members of the 2011 Police Unity Tour.

March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 44

Worth over $500No monetary value. Winner has option of male or female bicycle.

Proceeds from these raffles benefit CliftonPBA members who participate in the 2011Police Unity Tour. This annual 300 mile bicycleride leaves NJ on May 9 in an effort to raiseawareness of police officers who have died inthe line of duty and to raise funds for theNational Law Enforcement Officers Memorial.The group must raise $28,000 and asks thecommunity to support the effort by purchasingraffle tickets or sending a donation.

To purchase tickets, call CliftonPolice Officer John Kavakich at 973-470-5897, or via e-mail sgt-at-arms@cliftonpba36.com or callTom Hawrylko at 973-253-4400.

Both Drawings to be held on Sunday, April 10, 2011 at 8 pm at the Clifton PBA 36 Unity Tour Pasta Dinner

We Ride for Those Who Have Died

55” Bravia Value: $2600

40” Toshiba Value: $700

March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 45

This­ routine­ and­ his­ overall

health­ made­ it­ difficult­ to­ shed

weight­ naturally.­ ­ Eventually,

Smith­ began­ researching­ surgical

options­ and­ ultimately­ settled­ on

lap­band.

“They­ take­ your­ stomach­ and

make­a­ little­pouch,­about­ the­size

of­ one­ ounce,”­ explained­ Smith.

Such­ a­ procedure­ is­ drastic­ and­ is

sometimes­ risky­ depending­ on­ a

patient’s­health.

“I­decided­to­do­it­probably­a­year

after­my­ doctor­ told­me­ I­ had­ dia-

betes.­ ­ I­ wasn’t­ losing­ any­ weight

and­only­then­did­I­decide­to­do­it,”

he­continued.­­“Even­my­doctor­was-

n’t­ crazy­ about­me­ doing­ it.­ ­ Later

on,­one­of­the­doctors­refused­to­do­it

because­of­my­size.”

When­ he­ found­ a­ surgeon­ that

would­ accept­ him,­ Smith­ had­ to

loose­ 15­ pounds­ before­ he­ would

be­ accepted.­ ­ Doctors­ also­ diag-

nosed­Smith­with­H.­pylori,­a­bac-

terial­ infection­ of­ the­ stomach,

which­was­ treated­prior­ to­ the­ life

altering­surgery.

Not­ long­after­being­discharged

from­ the­ hospital,­ it­ was­ apparent

that­the­surgery­was­successful.

“All­of­ the­medical­ issues­went

away­ fairly­ quick­ once­ I­ had­ the

surgery,”­ Smith­ recalled.­ ­ “The

blood­pressure­pills­and­sugar­pills

went­ away­ kind­ of­ immediately.

And­the­pain­is­not­that­bad.­­They

told­me­not­to­go­back­to­work­for

six­weeks,­but­I­went­back­in­two.”

The­ Cliftonite­ also­ become

much­ more­ diligent­ in­ exercising

and­dieting­after­the­procedure.

“I­ walked­ every­ day­ after­ my

surgery,­ every­ day,”­ said­ Smith.

Such­ radical­ weight­ loss­ often

results­in­saggy­skin,­and­his­exer-

cised­help­mitigate­that­side­effect.

But­this­radical­procedure­is­not

without­pitfalls.­­Lap­band­surgery

drastically­limits­what­patients­can

eat­and­how­much­of­it.

“The­first­couple­days—and­it’s­a

funny­ thing—you’re­ watching­ TV

and­ everything­ is­ a­ food­ commer-

cial,”­ Smith­ recalled.­ ­ “Everything.

It­might­ not­ actually­ be­ one­ but­ in

your­brain,­everything­is­a­food­com-

mercial­and­you­can’t­eat­it.”

“It’s­hard.­­I­can’t­eat­fried­stuff­no

more,­I­can’t­go­to­Hot­Grill,”­he­con-

tinued.­­“It’s­a­big­adjustment­to­eat-

ing­ soups­ and­ everything­ else,­ like

when­ you­ go­ out­ for­ dinner­ and

you’re­ eating­ an­ appetizer­ when

everyone­else­is­eating­some­kind­of

entree.­ ­And­ you­ can­ drink...­ but­ if

you­ drink,­ you­ can’t­ eat,­ so­ you’ve

got­to­make­a­choice.”

Red­ meats,­ once­ a­ favorite,­ are

now­a­rare­treat.­­“If­I­have­a­ham-

burger,­maybe­ I’ll­ crush­ it­ up­ and

put­a­lot­of­gravy­on­it,”­said­Smith.

“Steak,­ the­ first­ time­ I­ had­ filet

mignon­ after­ my­ surgery,­ I­ got

deadly­sick­and­that­ turned­me­off

to­eating­stuff­like­that.”

But­despite­the­sacrifices,­Smith

doesn’t­regret­his­choice.

“It’s­ a­ cool­ feeling­ when­ you

could­go­to­a­store­and­buy­clothes

when­before­you­had­to­go­to­a­big

and­ tall­men’s­ shop,”­ he­ said.­ ­ “It

was­kind­of­ like,­wow­ I­ fit­ in­32s

when­I­fit­in­48s­before.”

“I­ mean,­ I­ used­ to­ wear­ sweat

pants­all­the­time­because­I­couldn’t

wear­ jeans,”­ Smith­ continued.

“Now,­I­have­some­people­walk­into

my­shop­and­ask,­where’s­Bob?­­It’s

pretty­cool.”

The­Cliftonite­has­a­solemn­vow

to­never­let­apathy­compromise­his

health­again.

“I­ just­ don’t­ want­ to­ go­ back

there,­that’s­my­main­thing.­­It­was

a­rough­go,”­he­said.­­“It­was­like­a

do­ or­ die­ thing.­ ­ You’ve­ got­ to

either­ get­ busy­ living­ or­ get­ busy

dying,­right?”

Bob Smith in an undated photo prior to his surgery.

Weigh to Gocontinued on page 40

March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 46

“W e must turn tonature itself, tothe observations

of the body in health and in diseaseto learn the truth.” —Hippocrates­

Undoubtedly,­ modern­ Western

medicine­has­made­great­strides­in

treating­acute­ illnesses­and­ in­sav-

ing­lives­through­advances­in­phar-

maceutical­ drugs,­ surgical­ tech-

niques­ and­ diagnostic­ technology.

But­ increasingly­ in­ our­ area­ and

elsewhere­ people­ with­ ongoing

pain­ and­ other­ chronic­ and­ recur-

ring­medical­conditions­are­turning

to­ older,­ more­ natural­ forms­ of

treatment­for­relief.

ACUPUNCTURE: The Ancient Chinese Art of Healing

Ever­since­he­was­a­teenager,­66

year-old­ Clifton­ resident­ Pierre

Tessier­ had­ suffered­ with­ chronic

headaches.­

A­ retired­ line­ supervisor­ for

GlaxoSmithKline,­ Tessier­ would

get­ up­ in­ the­ morning­ with­ a

headache­ and­ go­ to­ bed­ at­ night

with­ the­ same­ grueling­ pain.­ “It

was­terrible,”­he­said.­“I­just­had­to

learn­to­live­with­it.”

Over­ the­ years,­ Tessier­ under-

went­ numerous­ CT­ scans,­ MRIs

and­other­diagnostic­tests­to­try­and

determine­the­cause­of­his­pain,­but

to­no­avail.­“They­could­never­find

an­answer,”­he­said.­“That­was­very

discouraging.”

For­ many­ years,­ Tessier’s­ only

outlet­was­to­swallow­pain­pills,­as

many­as­seven­at­a­time.­“I­was­liv-

ing­on­Excedrin,”­he­ said.­ “It­was

killing­my­stomach,­but­I­felt­I­had

no­choice.”­

Eventually,­ Tessier­ decided­ to

visit­ a­ chiropractor,­ who,­ through

spinal­adjustments­was­able­to­pro-

vide­ him­ with­ some­ relief.­ But

when­ chiropractic­ treatment­ alone

was­not­enough­ to­get­him­off­ the

volume­of­pain­medication,­his­chi-

ropractor­ referred­ him­ to­ Clifton

acupuncturist­ Marina­ Doktorman

for­additional­help.

That­ was­ three­ years­ ago­ and

today­Tessier­ is­ nearly­ totally­ free

of­ headaches­ and­ swears­ by­ the

benefits­ he­ has­ received­ from

acupuncture.

Tessier­went­for­two­treatments­a

week­in­the­beginning,­but­has­since

reduced­his­visits­to­once­a­week.

“It’s­nice­waking­up­in­the­morn-

M E D I C I N E

M I R A C L E S

Natural FactDrug-free Natural Therapies Growing in Popularity

By Carol Leonard

&

Marina Doktorman doing a procedure on Cindy Stilger.

March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 47

ing­without­a­headache,”­he­said.­“I

used­ to­ carry­ Excedrin­ or­ aspirin

around­with­me­everywhere­I­went.

Now,­I’m­going­weeks­without­tak-

ing­anything.”

Another­of­Doktorman’s­patients

is­Cindy­Stilger,­also­of­Clifton.

Twenty­ years­ ago,­ Stilger­ was

involved­ in­a­car­accident­ that­ left

her­with­multiple­injuries­that­con-

tinue­ to­ affect­ her­ back,­ leg­ and

neck­as­well­as­her­knee­and­wrist.

Stilger­is­a­proponent­of­natural

remedies­over­the­pain­medications

and­muscle­relaxants­she­has­been

prescribed­over­ the­years.­ In­addi-

tion­ to­ her­ weekly­ acupuncture

treatments,­ she­ has­ used­ a­ combi-

nation­of­ chiropractic­ care­ as­well

as­ physical­ therapy­ and­ message

therapy­to­find­relief.

“When­ so­many­ body­ parts­ are

involved,­ you­ need­multiple­ treat-

ments,”­she­said.­“Each­of­my­ther-

apies­ has­ provided­me­with­ a­ dif-

ferent­ benefit.­ Acupuncture­ has

been­a­great­help.”

Although­ relatively­ new­ to­ the

Western­ world,­ acupuncture­ has

been­used­by­medical­practitioners

in­ China­ and­ other­ Eastern­ coun-

tries­for­more­than­5,000­years.

The­ practice­ primarily­ involves

the­ insertion­ by­ a­ trained­ and

licensed­acupuncturist­of­a­series­of

very­ thin­ needles­ into­ specific

points­ along­ the­body­ to­ stimulate

self-healing.

Although­ the­ mechanism­ for

pain­relief­with­acupuncture­ is­not

totally­ understood,­ simply­ stated,

ancient­theory­proposes­that­within

each­ of­ us­ there­ is­ an­ intelligent,

energetic­ system­ that­ maintains

health­ and­ balance.­ Acupuncture

practitioners­ call­ this­ energy­ Qi

(pronounced­ chee),­ and­ they

believe­that­our­health­is­influenced

by­the­quality,­quantity­and­balance

of­this­innate­energy.­

When­Qi­is­balanced­and­freely

flowing,­ the­ body’s­ self-healing

abilities­ are­ activated.­ But­ when

life’s­stressors­disrupt­or­block­Qi’s

flow,­ the­body­becomes­weakened

and­susceptible­to­pain­and­disease,

and­self-healing­is­compromised.

“The­theory­is­about­balance­and

state­of­mind,”­Doktorman­said.

Over­the­years,­acupuncture­has

gained­ the­ respect­ of­ not­ only­ the

alternative­ medicine­ community,

but­ also­ many­ mainstream

March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 48

We’ll Mail Your Easter Order!

We now bake Homemade Hungarian RétesRétes, or Strudel,

is one of Hungary’s mostrenowned dishes. We bakeit like in the old days andoffer it to you in Lekvar,Poppyseed, Sour Cherry,Apple. Apricot or Cheese.

Our cases are filled withfresh Poppyseed, Lekvar,

Apricot and otherHungarian Spices!

The Jozsa Family, now in our second generation...

•Holiday Hams & otherTraditional Easter Foods• Pork, Beef, Cheese &Meat Products•Home Style Smoked Bacon& Smoked Sausages•We make our own Salami & offer many fine Imports

March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 49

medical­ practitioners.­ In­ fact,­ in

recent­ months,­ the­ United­ States

military­ has­ been­ using­ acupunc-

ture­to­treat­soldiers­in­Afghanistan

suffering­ from­ concussions.­Many

medical­insurance­plans­now­cover

acupuncture­treatments.

Doctorman­ received­ her­ three-

year­training­and­a­master’s­degree

at­ the­ Tri-State­ College­ of

Acupuncture­in­New­York­City­and

is­ licensed­ and­ board­ certified­ in

both­ New­ York­ and­ New­ Jersey.

She­ runs­ her­ practice­ within­ the

suite­ of­ offices­ occupied­ by­ her

dentist­ husband,­ Dr.­ Edward

Doktorman,­at­1030­Clifton­Ave.

She­said­she­has­had­great­success

in­treating­patients­not­only­for­pain,

but­ other­ conditions,­ such­ as­ high

blood­pressure,­digestive­and­ respi-

ratory­ ailments,­ allergies,­ insomnia,

depression­and­infertility.

Doktorman­ said­ that­ everyone

responds­differently­to­acupuncture

treatment.­ “I­ try­ to­ get­ a­ quick

response,­but­I­never­promise­any-

one­that­they­will­get­better­in­just

one­visit,”­she­said.­“I­usually­rec-

ommend­ five­ to­ seven­ treatments

before­deciding­if­it­helps­you.”

To­ learn­ more­ about­ acupunc-

ture,­ you­ can­ call­ Doktorman­ at

973-778-0013,­or­visit­her­Web­site

at:­www.pulseacupuncture.com.

HALOTHERAPY:From the Salt Mines to Clifton

If­ you­ have­ ever­ noticed­ how

clear-headed­you­ feel­after­breath-

ing­in­the­salty­air­after­a­day­at­the

shore,­you­may­want­to­check­out­a

new­business­ that­ recently­ opened

in­the­city’s­Allwood­section.

The­Salt­Cavern­at­654­Allwood

Rd.­ brings­ to­ Clifton­ salt­ therapy,

also­known­as­halotherapy­from­the

Greek­word­ for­ salt,­ halos.­ It­ is­ a

drug-free,­ non-invasive­ treatment

for­ respiratory­ ailments­ and­ other

health­ conditions­ that­ has­ been

used­ in­ many­ Eastern­ European

countries­since­the­19th­century.­

The­benefits­of­salt­therapy­were

first­ described­ in­ the­mid-1800s­ by

Polish­ physician­ Dr.­ Feliks

Baczkowski,­who­was­the­country’s

authority­for­occupational­health.

Dr.­ Baczkowski­ noted­ that

unlike­coal­miners,­who­frequently

suffered­ from­ serious­ lung­ and

bronchial­ disorders,­ those­ who

worked­in­salt­mines­rarely­had­res-

piratory­ ailments­ and­ were,­ in

many­cases,­healthier­than­the­aver-

age­citizen.­He­often­ took­patients

with­ breathing­ problems­ into­ the

salt­mines­for­therapy.

Salt­ therapy­has­become­a­stan-

dard­ treatment­ in­ spas­ across

Europe­and­has­become­popular­in

Israel­as­well.­

In­Russia,­salt­therapy­chambers

are­certified­as­medical­devices­and

many­ hospitals­ are­ opening­ salt

therapy­rooms.

Eva­Dunai,­who­ owns­The­Salt

Cavern­with­her­husband,­William,

said­that­they­had­been­researching

the­ concept­ of­ salt­ therapy­ for

about­ five­ years­ before­ opening

their­business­last­month.­They­had

the­ assistance­ of­ a­ friend­ from

Canada­ who­ is­ an­ expert­ in­ the

design­of­salt­therapy­rooms.

Dunai,­ who­ was­ trained­ as­ a

nurse­ in­ her­ native­Hungary,

Eva Dunai at The Salt Cavern

March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 50

said­ she­ has­ always­ been­ a­ firm­ believer­ in­ natural

health­therapies.­

She­ first­ got­ the­ idea­ for­ the­ business­ when­ a

Hungarian­ friend­ came­ to­ visit­ and­ brought­ with­ her

magazines­from­their­homeland­with­articles­about­the

increasing­ popularity­ of­ salt­ therapy­ centers­ across

Europe.­ In­ fact,­ she­ said­ that­ in­many­ large­ cities­ in

Hungary,­the­government­has­installed­mini­salt­rooms

in­municipal­buildings­for­free­use­by­citizens.

It­is­only­recently­that­the­concept­of­salt­therapy­or

halotherapy­ has­ been­ catching­ on­ in­ North­America.

According­ to­ Dunai,­ The­ Salt­ Cavern­ is­ one­ of­ only

nine­halotherapy­centers­in­the­United­States.

The­walls­ in­ the­ salt­ room­ at­The­ Salt­Cavern­ are

covered­ in­ three­ layers­ of­ two­ different­ grains­ of­ sea

salt­and­the­floor­is­covered­with­rock­salt.­Himalayan

salt­lamps­adorn­several­small­tables­around­the­room,

giving­off­a­pleasing­glow.

The­ room­ can­ accommodate­ up­ to­ 10­ patients­ at

time,­ as­ they­ sit­ in­ comfortable­ zero-gravity­ lounge

chairs.­ Stylish­ partitions­ separate­ the­ room­ into­ three

sections­to­minimize­distraction­and­provide­an­atmos-

phere­of­semi-privacy.

As­the­45-minute­therapy­session­begins,­ the­lights

are­dimmed­and­soft,­soothing­music­is­piped­into­the

room.­If­they­prefer,­patients­may­bring­their­own­MP3

players­or­borrow­one­from­the­owners,­which­is­down-

loaded­with­meditation­messages.­

A­ dry­ mist­ of­ Himalayan­ salt­ is­ released­ into­ the

room­ throughout­ the­ session.­ The­ salt­ particles­ have

natural­ anti-bacterial­ and­ anti-fungal­ properties­ and,

when­ breathed­ in,­ can­ prevent­ the­ development­ of

inflammation­in­the­lungs­and­bronchial­passages.­The

treatment­ also­ helps­ to­ thin­ the­ build-up­ of­ mucus,

improving­lung­function­and­opening­up­the­breathing

passages.

In­ addition­ to­ respiratory­ disorders,­ salt­ therapy­ has

been­known­to­help­with­sinusitis­and­other­nasal­prob-

lems,­ear­infections­and­skin­conditions­such­as­psoriasis.

Children­and­ infants­may­benefit­ from­salt­ therapy

even­more­quickly­than­adults,­and­Dunai­said­she­will

work­with­ parents­ to­ provide­ a­ safe­ and­ comfortable

environment­for­their­children.

Among­ the­ first­ patients­ at­ The­ Salt­ Cavern­ was

Michele­Cecere,­principal­of­nearby­School­9,­who­said

she­ went­ for­ the­ therapy­ to­ help­ ease­ the­ lingering

symptoms­of­bronchitis.­

“I­loved­it,”­she­said.­“My­cough­loosened­and­my

sinuses­cleared­right­up.­It­felt­like­I­had­just­come­off

the­beach.­I­even­noticed­that­my­skin­looked­better.”

Cecere­ enjoyed­ the­ treatment­ so­ much­ that­ she

brought­her­husband­with­her­ to­a­ second­session­ the

next­day.

Local­resident­Lisa­Bjorkfelt,­who­suffers­from­mild

asthma,­had­a­similar­reaction­to­her­first­session.

“My­ breathing­ was­ noticeably­ better­ and­ I­ felt

great,”­ she­ said.­ “I­wasn’t­ expecting­ to­get­ relief­ that

quickly,­but­I­was­pleasantly­surprised.”

Bjorkfelt­ lives­within­walking­distance­of­The­Salt

Cavern­ and­ has­ been­ back­ for­ several­ additional­ ses-

sions.­She­plans­to­go­for­weekly­for­treatments,­espe-

cially­ during­ the­winter­months,­when­ her­ symptoms

are­the­most­troublesome.

Both­ Cecere­ and­ Bjorkfelt­ also­ commented­ that,

aside­ from­ the­ relief­ from­ their­ respiratory­ problems,

the­ salt­ therapy­ sessions­were­ also­ very­ calming­ and

relaxing,­which­ they­ considered­ to­ be­ another­ impor-

tant­benefit.

Prices­for­therapy­sessions­at­The­Salt­Cavern­start­at

$30­ for­ children­ and­ senior­ citizens,­ to­ $50­ for­ other

adults.­Multiple­session­discounts­are­available.

You­can­learn­more­about­salt­therapy­and­The­Salt

Cavern­by­logging­onto­Dunai’s­Web­site­at:­www.the-

saltcavern.com,­or­call­973-928-2229.

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March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 51

L ocated on the campus ofSt. Joseph’s Hospital andRegional Medical Center

in Paterson, Medical­Missions­ for

Children­ (MMC)­ is­ a­ non-profit

organization­that­focuses­on­“trans-

ferring­ medical­ knowledge­ from

those­who­have­it­to­those­who­need

it­ using­ the­ latest­ in­ communica-

tions­technology.”

MMC­ works­ with­ pediatricians

in­ the­ US­ and­ in­ over­ 100­ other

countries­ to­ help­ save­ the­ lives­ of

hundreds­ of­ sick­ children­ each

week­ by­ providing­ the­ medical

resources­ needed­ to­ assist­ physi-

cians­ who­ are­ unable­ to­ properly

diagnose­and­consequently­treat­one

or­more­of­their­patients.

Medical­ Missions­ for­ Children

was­ co-founded­ in­ 1999­ by­ Frank

and­Peg­Brady­with­ the­ assistance

of­ funds­ and­ partnerships­ with

World­ Bank,­ the­ United­ Nations

and­ the­ U.S.­ Agency­ for

International­Development.­

The­ success­ of­ the­ program­ is

due­to­both­hard­work­and­the­gen-

erosity­of­others.

In­ 2001,­ Polycom,­ a­ leading

videoconferencing­ technology

company,­sponsored­a­contest­with

the­ purpose­ of­ finding­ the­ most

interesting­and­unique­use­of­video

conferencing­ equipment.­ ­ This­ led

to­a­partnership­with­MMC­that­has

resulted­ in­ the­ donation­ of­ more

than­ four­ million­ dollars­ worth­ of

telemedicine­equipment­to­link­hos-

pitals­overseas­to­U.S.­health­facili-

ties.­

Intelsat,­the­world’s­largest­satel-

lite­service­provider,­has­ translated

into­ the­donation­of­ satellite­ trans-

mission­ time­ that­ allows­ MMC­ to

broadcast­medical­programming­on

the­ MMC­ Medical­ Broadcasting

Channel­-­MBC.­

Prior­ to­ the­ founding­ of­ the

organization,­ Frank­ Brady­ was­ an

executive­ for­ the­ General­ Electric

of­ France.­ ­ However,­ his­ health

brought­about­an­early­retirement—

and­a­chance­for­a­new­calling.

As­ a­ child,­Frank­ suffered­ from

spinal­ meningitis­ and­ benefited

from­ one­ of­ the­ first­ penicillin

injections.­­His­mother­stressed­that

the­ life­ threatening­ illness­ was­ an

omen­ from­God—Frank­needed­ to

do­something­special­with­his­life.­­

He­ decided­ that­meant­ ensuring

that­young­children­everywhere­had

access­to­first­rate­medical­care.

The­ first­ child­ at­ MMC­ was

Jordano,­a­young­boy­from­Panama

who­was­ born­with­ a­ cranial

M E D I C I N E

M I R A C L E S

MMC’s Goal:“Restoring hope through technology”

By Chrissie Cluney

&

MMC founders Frank and Peg Brady with an unidentified boy.

March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 52

deformity.­­This­left­him­with­mild

retardation,­ one­ eye,­ and­ difficulty

in­swallowing.­He­also­had­a­shunt

placed­in­his­brain­at­birth.­

The­ Brady’s­ welcomed­ Jordano

and­ his­ mother­ into­ their­ home,

where­they­stayed­for­18­months­as

he­recovered­from­surgeries.

The­first­was­a­10-hour­operation

to­ change­ the­ shape­ of­ Jordano's

skull­ and­ create­ an­ eye­ socket.­ In

the­following­operation,­a­reconfig-

ured­ jaw­ was­ added­ to­ allow

Jordano­a­greater­ability­to­chew.­

Today,­MMC­offers­video­confer-

ence­diagnosis­and­treatment­consul-

tations­between­650­to­700­US­pedi-

atric­specialists­and­subspecialists­and

pediatricians­ in­ over­ 100­ countries

around­ the­world.­MMC­also­main-

tains­ the­Video­Library­of­Medicine

(GVLM)­which­contains­over­5,000

hours­of­medical­ symposia­which­ is

accessible­ worldwide­ via­ Satellite

and­ the­ Internet­ on­ the­ Medical

Broadcasting­Channel.­

Through­ generous­ partnerships

forged­with­St.­Joseph’s­Children’s

Hospital,­Panasonic­ and­ the­Henry

Niles­ Foundation,­ the­ MMC-

Panasonic­ HDTV­ studio­ was­ built

to­help­create­medical­video­content

at­the­facilities.

When­not­in­use­for­MMC’s­mis-

sion,­the­brand­new­studio­is­made

available­ to­ area­productions­ com-

panies,­advertising­agencies­and­TV

producers.­It­is­the­production­home

Caucus­ Education­ Corporation

“One­ on­ One”­ and­ “NJ­ Capitol

Report”­with­Steve­Adubato.­­

The­ state­ of­ the­ art­ “floating”

studio­ is­ vibration­ free,­ sound

proof­ and­ is­ one­ of­ the­ few­ com-

pletely­ digital­ HD­ studios­ in­ the

area.­All­proceeds­derived­from­the

studio­ go­ to­ help­ fund­ a­ worthy

cause­ and­ charity.­ For­ further

information­ about­ the­ studio,­ you

can­ take­ a­ virtual­ tour­ at:­ mmc-

worldwide.com/hdstudio­ ­ or­ con-

tact­an­MMC­representative­direct-

ly­at­973-754-4960.

Another­ MMC­ project­ is­ the

Giggles­ Children’s­ Theater­ at­ St.

Joseph’s­ Children’s­ Hospital­ in

Paterson,­which­the­Brady’s­found-

ed­after­visiting­a­similar­facility­in

Madrid,­Spain.­

For­ those­ children­ who­ are

restricted­ to­ their­ beds,­ Giggles

Theater­ offer­ free­ shows­ that­ are

broadcast­ and­ rebroadcasted­ over

the­hospital’s­closed­circuit­TV­sys-

tem.­­To­volunteer­as­a­performer,­to

make­a­financial­contribution­or­ to

donate­ toys,­ please­ call­ Giggles

Director­ Marie­ Caliendo­ at­ 973-

754-4623

It­ is­ Frank­ Brady’s­ dream­ that

MMC­ will­ “go­ on­ helping­ people

for­at­least­50­years­after­Peg­and­I

are­ gone.”­ To­ make­ a­ tax­ exempt

charitable­ contribution­ to­ Medical

Missions­ for­ Children­ please­ con-

tact­ John­ Riehl­ at­ jriehl@mmis-

sions.org,­call­973-754-4960,­or­log

onto­www.mmissions.org.­

March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 53

By Joe Hawrylko

Fate. Destiny. Divine inter-vention. Call it what you

will, but Joe Kolodziej is

sure that a factor other than luck

prevented him from dying in a

workplace mishap last year.

“Things don’t happen to us, they

happen for us,” he explained. “I

was in an explosion and it could

have killed me. It could have

killed me, but it didn’t. The real

lesson isn’t what should I learn

from this. It’s what will I bring to

the world from this experience.”

It was April 9, 2010, a normal day

by all accounts. Kolodziej was

working on the loading dock at his

family’s Athenia business,

Conveyor by North American. A

delivery truck containing canisters

of odorless acetylene pulled into the

Huron Ave. building as expected.

However, neither Kolodziej or

the two drivers noticed a leaking

can in the rear until a fireball spit

out from the nearby furnace.

The resulting explosion was

massive, creating a deafening

crack that vibrated windows blocks

away. Kolodziej, wearing shorts

and a t-shirt, suffered the worst of

the group, with burns over his

unprotected arms and legs.

M E D I C I N E

M I R A C L E S&

SpiritualityCouncilman Joe Kolodziej’s brush with death

March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 54

“That night, they put me into

ICU and no one’s really telling me

the severity of what happened,”

recalled Kolodziej, who was treat-

ed at The Burn Center at St.

Barnabas Hospital in Livingston.

“I suppose that optimism is a great

medicine. By Sunday, I hurt so bad

that I realized that I wasn’t going

home.”

Kolodziej’s wife, Amie, was on

hand shortly after the accident to

gather information from doctors.

“My wife said to me, whether

you realize it or not, you keeping a

sense of humor helped me in terms

of not panicking,” he recalled. “I

kept on saying how I was extra

crunchy now or how I like my

chicken crispy.”

Kolodziej’s optimism also

masked any fears he had going in.

“Prior to that, a chipped tooth is the

worst I’ve had in my life,” he laughed.

“Maybe stitches here or there.”

The wounds from the accident

were more severe than Kolodziej

had originally assumed.

The extent of the damage ranged

from second degree burns—super-

ficial and relatively minor—to

fourth degree, which are deep, pen-

etrating burns that harm muscle or

even bone.

Doctors determined that the

explosion left Kolodziej with burns

over 25 percent of his body.

Anything over 15 percent is consid-

ered life threatening because of the

extent of the trauma and the likeli-

hood for infections and complica-

tions.

The seared skin looses its elas-

ticity, and the slightest movement

can tear open freshly healed

wounds. In third and fourth degree

burns, the flesh becomes necrotic,

requiring agonizing daily baths in

which a nurse scrubs away the rot-

ted skin.

“One of the best definitions of

spirituality that I’ve heard is that

religion is for people who don’t

want to go to hell and spirituality is

for people who have been to hell

and don’t want to go back,”

explained the Councilman.

“Certainly 30 days in a hospital

getting scrubbed daily, even with

morphine, hurt beyond your worst

ideas. It was a hell and back situa-

tion for sure. It was especially dif-

ficult for me because the morphine

they gave me made me sick.”

The side effects from the power-

ful painkiller also made it extreme-

ly difficult to consume the more

than 3,000 calories he needed each

day to allow his skin grafts to grow.

But despite having a quarter of

his body covered in painful burns,

Kolodziej’s upbeat, optimistic

demeanor never waivered. It was

his faith that gave him the power to

tolerate the unbearable pain, to try

walking a few extra steps in thera-

py when his body was begging for

a break.

“I think people who have that

spirituality understand the bigger

picture,” explained Kolodziej,

whose family attends St. John

Kanty RC Church. “They’re able

to laugh at themselves. Humor is

one of the greatest medicines you’ll

take in the world. It creates that

positive attitude and from that pos-

itive mindset comes positive

results.”

That mentality proved to be

most useful during physical thera-

py, which began only after the

Joe and Amie Kolodziej were wed on Nov. 22, 2008.

wounds had healed sufficiently for

active movement.

“This big guy, Roy Bond, came

to help me one day, he’s been there

for years... he told me we were

going to walk to the tank room and

he said the sooner you try to walk,

the easier it’s going to be later,”

recalled Kolodziej. “We get half

way down the hallway and I realize

I’ve got a Vulcan death grip on the

guy.”

Over the course of his month

long stay, Kolodziej worked with

Roy, gradually building up his

strength to prepare his for dis-

charge. Due to the location and

the extent of his injuries,

Kolodziej’s progress was slow, but

the Councilman was constantly

challenged by his therapist to put

in a little more effort each day.

“He’s one of the sweetest men

you could ever meet. He’s been

there since the Seton Hall fires,”

said Kolodziej. “The more success

I had there, the more motivated I

was. It was hard. It would be like,

ok, you fell back two steps but

today we took three. That’s a net

gain of one step. It was all small

victories.”

Roy was just one of the many

people who had an impact on

Kolodziej during his recovery. The

outpouring of support came from

everywhere: hospital staff, family,

friends and complete strangers.

“Besides the spiritually point of

view, what gets you through this is

love,” he said. “My wife was there

every day. She’d practically fall

asleep next to my bed and would

stay there until they kicked her out

to go home.”

“Without question, the most

important part of surviving an

injury like this is love. It simply

boils down to love,” continued

Kolodziej. “People close to me,

my family and my friends, they

were praying and visiting every

day. But I also got cards from peo-

ple who I didn’t even know saying

you’re in my prayers or here’s my

mass card, we’re thinking of you.

I’m firmly believe that I’m here

today because of that.”

Those kind gestures were not

forgotten when Kolodziej left the

hospital in May of last year. The

Councilman, who went on to win

his seat in the 2010 election just

weeks after being discharged, now

makes use of his political acumen

and influence as a member of the

Advisory Board for the St.

Barnabas Burn Foundation.

“(Dr. Hani Mansour) said that all

the people that come in complain

about how much it hurts, but every

time I see you, you have a smile on

your face, you’re asking how nurs-

es are doing, you’re interested in

the nurse’s daughter who is going

back to college,” recalled

Kolodziej, who was invited by his

doctor.

March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 55

March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 56

Though he had absolutely no

medical background, Kolodziej was

more than willing to help.

Ultimately, the Councilman’s expe-

rience in politics proved to be vital in

coordinating fundraising efforts for

equipment not in the hospital’s

budget and raising awareness in the

community.

“I saw it as these guys saved my

life, how do I say no?” explained

Kolodziej. “He’s saying we can use

you, and I’m saying I don’t think you

can, but I’m going to come in and

help any way I can because I owe

that to you and I’ve found the work

very rewarding since then.”

The Councilman is also involved

with the burn support group, which

helped him cope during those first

few uncertain weeks after the acci-

dent. Kolodziej helps survivors pre-

pare for the many lifestyle changes

after a serious burn.

Kolodziej himself still has a

ways to go for recovery. Since the

new flesh from the skin graft is still

coming in, he wears spandex-like

compression wraps to keep it even.

Kolodziej still attends physical

therapy regularly and has yet to

return to work.

But these are all just minor incon-

veniences—a fair trade off to get out

of the hospital.

“I just could not wait to get home

and lay down in my own bed next to

my wife,” he recalled. “That first

night was absolutely glorifying

despite the fact that I needed a

Percocet just to fall asleep. Just

absolutely glorious.”

And with hard work and determi-

nation, Kolodziej is inching closer to

his goal each day.

“I used to not be able to stand for

more than 30 seconds in the same

spot without my legs screaming in

pain,” he added. “Now I can sit in

front of a sink and wash dishes for

an hour before I experience the

same pain.”

And though his tale may seem

like a religious awakening of sorts,

Kolodziej said it is simply a reaf-

firmation of beliefs he’s held his

entire life.

“I think that it ultimately helps

you with gratitude,” he said. “Rather

than lying in a hospital bed saying

why me, I’m lying on a hospital bed

saying thank you for sparing me.”

“I don’t see any major changes

in what I believe in. I was raised

Catholic, was an altar boy and the

whole nine yards,” continued

Kolodziej. “I’ve always had a solid

relationship with God. But spiritu-

al people, they have a greater

capacity for freezing the moment,

smelling the flower and realizing

the whole beauty of the rose.”

March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 57

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COLOR

Learn to Swim in Time for SummerAt the Boys and Girls Club of Clifton

Bonded by a sense oftradition, love of music

and family ties, the Porter

Family of Clifton marches on.

Whether it’s a Gaelic function

or parade, the Porters are there

with bagpipes and drums in

hand.

“It’s something we do togeth-

er,” said Mike Porter Sr. “I started

playing the bagpipes about 35

years ago and my three sons

became interested. It takes seven

years to make a piper and it’s been

great all those years.”

Porter along with his three sons,

Keith, Mike Jr. and Scott (all CHS

graduates) belong to the Kearny

Caledonian Pipe Band.

When daughter Dana married

James Messineo, the Porters

recruited him for the band. Dana

danced with the Mary Stewart

March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 60

Check Facebook for Nighly Specials

search ‘The Clif Tavern’

605 Clifton Ave.

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It’s a St. Patrick’s Day Feast!Thurs., March 17 from noon...Corned Beef & Cabbage Dinners $7.50Clifton’s Biggest Corned Beef Sandwich $5.00

St. Patrick’s DayGuide

Celebrate Thursday, March 17

Mike Porter Jr. from a photo taken atthe July 1, 2006 City Council swear-ing in ceremony.

Bonded by a sense oftradition, love of music

and family ties, the Porter

Family of Clifton marches on.

Whether it’s a Gaelic function

or parade, the Porters are there

with bagpipes and drums in

hand.

“It’s something we do togeth-

er,” said Mike Porter Sr. “I started

playing the bagpipes about 35

years ago and my three sons

became interested. It takes seven

years to make a piper and it’s been

great all those years.”

Porter along with his three sons,

Keith, Mike Jr. and Scott (all CHS

graduates) belong to the Kearny

Caledonian Pipe Band.

When daughter Dana married

James Messineo, the Porters

recruited him for the band. Dana

danced with the Mary Stewart

March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 61

Dancers, a traditional Scottish

dance group also based in Kearny.

“James is Italian, but once he

married my daughter, he had no

choice but to join us. It’s either

sink or swim. He’s now a mainstay

and we’re grateful,” Porter said.

The Porters have marched in the

New York St. Patrick’s Day Parade,

the city’s 75th Anniversary Parade

and other civic dedications. Of

course, weddings, funerals and

other personal appearances keep

the family busy performing an

array of Gaelic songs.

Porter owns and operates the

Allwood Funeral Home. His par-

ents, Harold and Veronica, started

the business in the 50s.

“The nature of our business is

tough,” he said. “Playing the pipes

and performing allows you to let

off a little steam. It’s an outlet, but

it’s something that has bonded our

family.”

“Our family has Scottish back-

ground, but on St. Patrick’s Day,

everyone is Irish. You have to

know history because Scots and

Irish are basically kissing cousins.”

A beginning piper can expect

pitfalls.

Coordinating the three basic

components—walking, blowing

into the mouthpiece and playing the

nine melodic notes—usually frus-

trates a novice, said Porter.

“Once you get the knack of it,

it’s no great feat. I started playing

the pipes out of fascination. I

always wondered how my wife

Joyce lived through those early

days. There were a few sour notes,

but she became immune to it.”

“The pipes are unique because

unlike a brass instrument, where

you have the sheet music in front of

you, pipers must memorize each

song. That in itself is a challenge,”

he said.

Enjoy St. Patrick’s Day at theseestablishments which aremembers of the CliftonLicensed Beverage Association.

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March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 62

MUSTANG H PS HISTORYMustangs and Gators—an unlikely connection

By Joe Hawrylko

Former Clifton hoops coach John Kostisin

tends to gets a little nostalgic when he

watches Florida University basketball.

That’s because senior Gator star Chandler

Parsons, a lanky, 6’10’ forward with NBA tal-

ent, is the grandson of Don Parsons, a former

star at CHS and one of Kostisin’s Mustang idols

as a youngster growing up in Botany Village in

the 1940s.

“I remember that, at that time, almost all of the

basketball players were from Botany,” recalled

Kostisin. “The neighborhood was one

of the few places where one could find

an organized game at a playground.”

“The coach was a basketball director

at the park and Domiano’s was the place

to be in the winter because you could go

there to use the indoor courts for a nickel

an hour,” added Kostisin, a CHS 1949

graduate who would later coach at

Clifton in 1972, succeeding his high

school coach, Emil Bednarcik. “I can

Above in the white is Chandler Parsons, a senior forward for the Florida University Gators. Atright is his grandfather Don Parsons, a 1946 CHS graduate who went on to star at Rutgers.Though he grew up in Florida, Chandler still relies on the old Mustang for advice and guidance.

March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 63

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name like 40 basketball players from

the area of the top of my head.”

Parsons was a few years older

than Kostisin, though he’d

sometimes play with older boys.

Because of a lack of neighborhood

courts, the group held a monopoly on

playing time.

“None of the younger kids could

get on to play. We had that court for

about 10 years,” he said. “There was

no where for them to play.”

Once the boys from Botany hit

high school, there was a similar

effect.

Under the tutelage of coach Emil

Bednarcik, talent from the east end of

town helped fuel a string of some of

the greatest Mustang roundball

squads in the history of the school.

After Coach Bednarcik arrived in

1944, the team went 18-2 and then

22-1 the next two seaons, featuring

a squad of almost entirely with

Botany section guys.

Though he was a very good player

in his own right, Kostisin said

that the older Mustangs were so

dominant that most athletes didn’t

play on Varsity until becoming an

upper classmen.

“That was the best team that CHS

ever had,” Parsons said of the 22-1

club. The former Cliftonite now

resides in Florida. “We beat the crap

out of Kearny. We went down to

Elizabeth and beat Thomas Jefferson

by 10 points on their own court.

Paterson Eastside, I almost felt bad

for them. We beat them four times

that year: Twice in the regular season,

once in the Jamboree and once in the

district playoffs.”

“I remember one game against

Emerson High School, I was up

against a big guy and he was making

me look pretty bad,” laughed

Parsons. “After halftime, I’m

coming back onto the court and to

my side, there’s some guy yelling in

my ear. It was Coach Greco, the

football coach, screaming, ‘You gotta

fight, fight, FIGHT!”

Despite winning 22 games

straight, the team was upset in the

State semis by Newark Central.

However, Parson’s basketball story

did not end in Clifton. Because

coach Bednarcik put such an equal

emphasis on athleticism and

academics, he produced well

rounded students with bright college

prospects.

“With Emil, when you hear

people talk about what teacher you

remember most and who had the

most influence on you, Hal (Corizzi),

Ray (Van Cleef) and I would all say

Emil,” said Parsons. “We stayed in

touch with him until the day he died.

He was a terrific guy. He always

focused on the fundamentals, in

basketball and in life.”

Those three stars from the 1946

squad each took separate paths that

eventually led to the trio playing for

Rutgers in the 1948 season. Back

home, Kostisin and the other

members of the Mustangs basketball

squad kept close tabs on their older

pals.

“Lou Poles saw a game where

Jerry Polatini, who played at Colgate,

played against the Rutgers guys,” he

recalled. “There were four Clifton

guys on the court at the same time in

one game.”

Bednarcik was also extremely

supportive of his alumni.

“He convinced the Board of

Education to send us down to

Rutgers to watch some games,”

recalled Kostisin. “One of the things

that people forget about Bednarcik is

that he coached for about 12 years for

no money. He was a great guy and he

loved seeing his boys do well.”

Parsons did quite well at Rutgers

alright. The 1946 CHS graduate

amassed more than 1,100 points in

his Scarlet Knight career, averaging

almost 11 points per game. Tall and

lanky, the former Mustang best

known for his passing and

rebounding prowess.

March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 64

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It’s the same talents that have

allowed Chandler Parsons to become

one of the elite talents in the NCAA.

Though he was injured at the time of

print, he still ranks near the tops of

the SEC Conference leaderboard for

assists and offensive rebounds.

“He’s nearly 6’10 and grew up as

a point guard,” added Kostisin.

“When they played LSU, Dick Vitale

was raving about him. Years ago,

there were maybe three other 6’10

players in the whole league.”

The immense pride shown by

Kostisin is dwarfed by Chandler’s

grandfather.

“He’s a real good kid too and a

decent student. We’re a basketball

family. I’ve never seen a family

more basketball orientated as us,”

said the elder Parsons. “Sports keeps

the family together and keeps the

kids out of trouble in my estimation.”

And while Chandler may have a

future as a pro, he won’t be the first

in the family to be courted by the

NBA. After Don Parson’s Rutgers

career came to a close, he was drafted

in the sixth round of the 1950 Draft

by the New York Knicks.

“I met Joe Lapchick, the coach,

and I met the general manager. They

offered me a contract for $3,500,

which I still have,” recalled Parsons,

who instead chose to work for

Bendix, an aerospace company in

Teterboro. He pursued his basketball

dream with the Paterson Crescents of

the American League. That folded

after a year and Parsons then played

for eight years with the Martin

Bombers Industrial League.

And though it’s been years since

he’s last played, some older

Mustangs still might get a little

nostalgic watching Parson’s Gator

grandson this March.

Chandler Parsons, with his grandfather, Don, a 1946 Clifton High graduate andformer standout on the hardwood.

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March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 65

March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 66

The Garden State Opera of Cliftonwill present the Finale of Act I of LaBoheme (Rodolfo and Mimi Duet)

by Giacomo Puccini and LaCambiale De Matrimonio by

Gioacchino Rossini on April 2 at 8

pm at the Allwood Community

Church in Clifton. Produced by

Francesco Santelli, both acts will

also be staged at the San Giuseppe

Santa Croce Camerina Society Hall

in Hawthorne on April 9 at 8 pm.

Call 973-928-1774 for info or details

at gardenstateopera.homestead.com.

Blue State Productions presents

the musical Godspell on various

dates in April at St. Peter’s

Episcopal Church, 380 Clifton Ave.,

Clifton. The show is based upon the

Gospel of St. Matthew and told

through a series of parables, with

some consideration from the Gospel

of St. Luke, including the climax

with the passion of Christ. For

detaisl call 973-607-1924 or email

BlueStateProd@AOL.com.

The 7th Annual Passaic CountyFilm Festival is April 16 at the

Fabian 8 Cinema in Center City

Mall in historic downtown Paterson.

Film projects created by students

and independent filmmakers who

live, attend school, or work in

Passaic County will be screened at 1

pm. The public is invited to this free

event. There is free parking in the

adjacent lot. Videos and films are

rated “G.” For details and info, go

to www.passaiccountynj.org/film.

Waterworks (sample above) is an art exhibit and sale of work at the Clifton ArtsCenter by the Clifton Association of Artists. The exhibit opens on March 9, witha reception open to the public on March 12, from 1pm-4pm. Admission is $3 fornon-members. Hours and info at www.cliftonnj.org.

March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 67

COLORThe Theater League of Clifton, in

cooperation with ATC Studios, is

holding auditions for Narnia, The

Musical, based on The Lion, the

Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S.

Lewis. Directed by Kathleen

Kellaigh, the cast includes singing,

non-singing and movement roles for

a variety of ages; for a list go to

www.theaterleagueofclifton.com.

Auditions will be held on March 12,

3 to 7 pm and March 14, 7 to 10 pm

at ATC Studios, 68 Union Ave.

Performance dates are May 20, 21

and 22 and 27, 28 and 29 at School 3

on Washington Ave.

The Hamilton House Museum, at

971 Valley Rd., will resume its

Sunday tours on March 6 at 2 pm.

The restored Dutch Farmhouse is

featured in Victorian, Federal and

Early American periods. Suggested

donation is $3 per person. For more

details and other times, call the

Museum at 973-744-5707.

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March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 68

School 16 on Grove St. will hold

its annual Tricky Tray on March 10

at the Valley Regency. Doors open

at 6 pm and tickets, which are $45,

include buffet and a sheet of

general prize tickets. For more

info, call 973-489-8323.

BYOB for WWMS: The Woodrow

Wilson Middle School Tricky Tray

fundraiser is March 11 at the Boys

and Girls Club of Clifton. Doors

open 6pm, tickets are $10 and atten-

dees can bring their own refresh-

ments. No children under 18

allowed. For tickets, call Karen

Harris at 973-744-6855.

SS Cyril & Methodius Church,218 Ackerman Ave., will host its

annual fish and chip dinner on

March 23 at 5:30 pm. Tickets are

$15 and include cake and coffee.

Takeout available. For info, call

973-772-3448 or 973-772-8806.

Clifton Little League GirlsSoftball is registering girls aged 5-

16 at the Main Memorial Field

House on March 12 and March 19

from 10 am to 2 pm. This is a

citywide league formed from a

merger of the Clifton American and

Clifton National programs. Fee is

$65; for info call 973-470-5958.

CCMS 6th Annual Locks of LoveCutathon is May 16 at Christopher

Columbus Middle School. Anyone

with at least 10 inches of hair can

sign on and have their hair cut at no

charge by stylists from Salon Ilona.

The sheered locks will then be

donated to a charity which creates

wigs for individuals with cancer.

“We’re hoping to exceed last year’s

donation of 1,100 inches,” said

CCMS math teacher and volunteer

coordinater Kim Dreher. For

details, call Dreher at 973-769-0500

or email kad30506@yahoo.com.

St. Andrew RC Church, 400 Mt.

Prospect Ave., hosts a blood drive on

March 20, from 8 am to 1 pm. Walk-

ins are welcomed but an

appointment will insure that you will

not wait. Call Fr. Richard Rusconi

at 973-779-6873 to donate blood.

Come to Modell’s in Styretowneand choose Clifton Recreationwhen you make a purchase on

March 5-7 and the Rec Dept. will

receive a donation of 10% and you

will receive 10% off your total pur-

chase. Call 973-470-5958.

The Rosary Society of St. Paul’sR.C. Church is now in its 91st year

and membership is open to all. In

addition to praying together at the

Washington Ave. church, the group

offers Catholic women a special life-

long bond and pursues various char-

itable endeavors. To join, call Marge

Schweighardt at 973-478-2046.

March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 69

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Shampoo, Cut, Style

The CHS 2011 Prom FashionShow is April 3, noon, on the stage

of the JFK Auditorium. The annual

event is a fundraiser in which seniors

participating or attending the event

will receive credit towards their

Project Graduation ticket.

Mustang seniors are invited to

volunteer as models as Deluxe

Formal Wear of Clifton will provide

the latest trends in tuxedos for men

while the young women will show-

case prom dresses provided by

CoCo’s Chateau of Wayne. Tickets

are $5 at the door.

“We are currently looking for

hair salons in the Clifton area to

volunteer their services the morn-

ing of the event to style the female

models,” said Maryann Cornett

Project Graduation chair. “As

always, we also ask for monetary

donation to help underwrite the

cost of this annual event.”

On graduation eve, CHS students

are invited to participate in Project

Graduation. The annual event shut-

tles hundreds of our graduates to a

nearby resort where they can party

all night in a safe, alcohol and drug

free environment. Next morning,

the kids are bussed back to CHS...

and life goes on after graduation...

To support the cause, or info, call

Maryann Cornett at 973-779-5678.

The Late Show will rock the St. Andrew HSA 2nd Annual St. Patrick’s DayDinner Dance in the church hall, 400 Mt. Prospect Ave., on March 12, startingat 6 pm. In addition to The Late Show (from left, Mike Hoffman, guitar andvocals, Jean Hoffman Cummings, vocals, Jim Hoffman, drummer, and Ray

Hoffman on keyboard), Irish Dancer Brittany Wolf will perform. Tickets, whichinclude a corned beef and cabbage dinner, are $30. For info, call 973-473-3711.

CLIFTON HIGH SCHOOL PRESENTS

SOUTH PACIFIC

Top row: RachelGutierrez, Allison Green,Mariel Vazquez, CelesteDube, Jennie Sekanics,Yuani Algarin, MiSookMendonca, YessaretCardenas. Lower row: Justin Noll,Bhavin Shah, MikeSconzo, Bobby Lupo.

Top row: Shreya Patel,Christine Lazcano, DianaMcKenna, BekaHafelfinger, AdamMadrigal, Jon Salen.Lower row: Peter Adamo,Bobby Kozielec, MatthewLouie

March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 70

From left: AmandaZaccone, Mario Godoy,

Choreographer LoisManzella-Marchitto,Producer Elizabeth

Eisenmenger, Mike Sunbury, Brian Bender,

Gabby Cabacab

MARCH 18, 19, 20, 2011

March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 71

A s she prepares to head offto college, CHS Student of

the Month Jessica Kunadia

is confident that she’ll enter the next

phase of her life armed with plenty

of experience.

“I tried to dabble in a little bit of

everything,” she said. “I love

science and math just as much as I

love humanities.”

Kunadia is diverse in her

interests. She challenges herself

academically in a variety of

subjects. She’s a competitive

dancer, having trained since age 4.

She also volunteers and is involved

with the CHS tennis team, where

she is a co-captain.

“I started in classical and in the

7th grade I joined RA Dance

Academy and began performing,”

she recalled. The Academy

specializes in Indian performance,

and top dancers were featured in the

86th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day

Parade.

“It’s influenced by Bollywood

and it’s fused with a lot of other

styles,” said Kunadia, who plans to

travel to India for the first time in

nearly half a decade this summer.

“We had our big finale in front of

Herald Square.”

Kunadia said she plans to continue

dancing while in college, but it will

take a back seat to academics. The

Student of the Month has lofty

expectations she’s set for herself.

She intends to study biology at

school, with the intention of one day

entering the medical field.

Kunadia has applied to Columbia,

Princeton, UPenn, and Boston

College. She hopes her diverse body

of work and stellar grades (she’s

currently ranked third in the class)

have her Ivy bound. Kunadia said

that the friendly rivalry she has with

her peers at CHS has spurred her to

be a better student and individual.

“[The Top 10 students], we’re all

friends. It’s a healthy competition,”

she said.

“My parents always encourage

me too,” Kunadia continued. “That

kind of stuff is important, but you

can’t get anywhere if you’re not self

motivated too. But when you find

people with the same goals and

ambitions, it’s easy to challenge each

other to do better.

“The ER doctors are really nice,”

she said. “They’d sometimes let me

observe patients. It’s a good way to

get into the field.”

Kunadia was also selected to

attent the National Youth Forum on

Medicine in 2010, which was held in

Boston. The two week program

increased her interest in the field.

In a year when most of her peers

lighten the workload up, she’s taking

AP biology, chemistry, calculus and

English. Kunadia is also involved

with the Botany Club, Asian Club

and the Knights of Pythagoris, and

she is a volunteer tutor.

Kunadia is also a member of the

National Honor Society. “I want to

keep myself challenged,” she said of

the remainder of her senior year in

CHS. “I’m just trying to prepare

myself for college.”

CHS STUDENT OF THE MONTH By Joe Hawrylko

Jessica Kunadia

March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 72

Family Super Bowl Party

Sunday, Feb. 6, 2011Hundreds of Cliftonites were on hand at the Boys &

Girls Club to watch the Green Bay Packers defeat the

Pittsburgh Steelers by a score of 31-25 at Cowboys

Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The game’s MVP was

Packer QB Aaron Rodgers, who had three touchdowns.

In Clifton, the MVPs were the volunteers, sponsors and

those who attended that made the 13th edition of this

alcohol, drug and gambling free event a success.

Clifton

March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 73

March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 74

• CASA—Clifton Against Substance Abuse

• Jim & Rita Haraka & Family• Rotary Club of Clifton• Optimist Club of Clifton• Assemblyman Thomas P. Giblin

• Gift in memory of Florence, George H. Trinkle, Jr. & George H. Trinkle III

• Barbara Dougherty in memory of Henry Dougherty

• Clifton Police PBA Local 36• Clifton Firefighters FMBA Local 21

• Clifton Moose Lodge 657• St. Philip the Apostle Council 11671 Knights of Columbus

• JSK Landscaping/the Bassford Family

• Mayor, Council, City Manager & City Attorney

• Carlet, Garrison, Klein & Zaretsky

• Daniel and Suzannah Brown• Vito’s Towing• Theater League of Clifton• Clifton Merchant Magazine

Thanks to our sponsors, admissionwas a canned good which wasdonated to St. Peter’s Haven. The13th Clifton Family Super Bowl Partywas sponsored by...

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Family Super Bowl Party

Sunday, Feb. 6, 2011

March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 75

18141814

Proud to Represent CliftonAssemblyman Thomas P. Giblin1333 Broad St., Clifton, NJ 07013office: 973-779-3125www.assemblymangiblin.com

View The Giblin Report Thursday at 9 pm, Channel 76

March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 76

Come see us and save on:

• Carpet

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• Linoleum

• Wood

• Cork

• Laminates

• Runners

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March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 77

You’re a Neighbor,Not a Number.

TomTobinAgency.com BillEljouzi.com

Realty Executives730 Broad St.973-766-8000

On Feb. 22, Realty Executives made theirmove across town official with a grandopening celebration. Pictured after theribbon cutting, from left, Vincent Federico,owner of a Realty Exec’s franchise in LittleFalls, Dan Norton, Manager of RealtyExec’s Wayne location and Roger Fields,Broker/Manager of the Clifton location. At center is Realty Exec Broker/AssociateBarbara Ann Stock.

Barilari’s Italian Restaurant755 Van Houten Ave.973-928-4500

Ken and Kim Barilari have opened theircasual storefront restaurant in Athenia.Open seven days a week, they serve lunchand dinner and offer daily chalkboard specials as well as a menu of standards.

Brother’s Quality Bakery of Allwood70 Market St.973-473-1467

Joe Putz, at right, who owned the AllwoodBakery for 22 years, returned to help theGencarelli family reopen the landmark

Allwood sweet shop. At the March 1 open-ing of Brother’s Quality Bakery of

Allwood, from left, Michael Gencarelli,Jamie Basile, Jackie and Thomas

Gencarelli, and Marianne Meinecke.

March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 78

BUSINESS OPENINGS

March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 79

March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 80

Julie Dominick......................3/1Meaghan Franko .................3/1Kathleen Pocoek ..................3/1Eric Sudhalter ......................3/1Kenzie Lord .........................3/3Valerie Godowsky................3/5Alice Paxton ........................3/5Carol Crudele......................3/6Ted Grzybowski...................3/6Pat Smith.............................3/8Victoria Crudele...................3/9Jenny Sichel.........................3/9Pamela Culque ..................3/10Tiffany Sabo ......................3/10Teddy Harsaghy.................3/11Eddie Gasior, Jr. ................3/12

Mike Pesaro ......................3/12Victor Berdecia ..................3/13Diego Hernandez ..............3/15Tyler Hughes......................3/15Elaine Sassine....................3/15Laura Lee ..........................3/15Suzanne Ciok....................3/19Janette Hughes ..................3/19Caitlin Lotorto ....................3/19Colleen Murray..................3/20Holly Sorenson ..................3/20Nenad Vuckovic ................3/20Monica Ahmed..................3/21George Andrikanich ..........3/22Elisabel Reyes....................3/24Carmen Rivera...................3/24

Kyle Hooyman...................3/24Michele Andrikanich ..........3/27Jennifer Mondelli................3/27Nicholas Surgent ...............3/27Muriel Curtin .....................3/28Francis Salonga.................3/31Paul McVeigh ....................3/31Chris Kolodziej ..................3/31

Grace Martin celebrates her 3rd birthday on March 5. Amy Lynn Philhower is 14 on March 7. Joe and Pat Torelli and family celebrate their 40th anniversary on March 6. Congratulations to Corey

and Michelle Genardi, celebrating their anniversary on March 28...their daughter Bianca Eda (below)is all smiles for her 5th birthday on March 2. Happy Birthday to Pat Hiller on March 22.

Birthdays & CelebrationsSend dates & names...tomhawrylko@optonline.net

March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 81

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Casey Hawrylko is 21 on March 2.

Layla Rahman is 21 on March 13.

March 2011 • Clifton Merchant 82

Dreams Home Realty, Inc.Dreams Home Realty, Inc.1301 Main Ave., Downtown Clifton • 973-772-6300

Call Yassin Abu Romi (Mike) 973-563-2672

Access DentalMahir Saleh, D.D.S. Khalid Attili, D.D.S.Suite 1A • Tel.: 973-340-9000

Hossam O. Elfarra, M.D., P.A.Gastroenterology & LiverDiseasesSuite 1B • Tel: 973-777-5778

Souhail Saba, M.D.Obstetrics & GynecologySuite 2A • Tel. 973-772-8878

Quality Advanced CareHealth & RehabilitationSuite 2B • Tel: 973-815-1159

Fayrouz PediatricsHisham Gadalla, MD,PediatricianSuite 2C • Tel: 973-928-3388

Family Health First, PAWilliam LaGrada MDJose E. Castaneda MDSuite 2D • 973-246-9154

The Center for SportsMedicine & PhysicalTherapySammy I. Masri, M.D.Suite 3A • Tel: 973-777-0934

Bakir Altai, MDVascular SurgerySuite 3C • 973-546-7600

Amal Al-Shrouf MDPulmonary MedicineMohmoud Aqel, MDInternal MedicineSuite 3D • 973-685-9922

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