Thursday, May 12, 2011

Journal Six

Both of these stories are very inspiring. They both share in the human spirit overcoming all obstacles. These stories are especially inspiring because the person most involved is struggling with a challenge that none of us may ever have to face. DJ Gregory in Walk On in his condition, barely being able to walk, can muster up the courage and strength to walk over 900 miles in a single year, day after day. Most of us take walking for granted on a day to day basis, never thinking that much of it. But DJ knowing full well that many people are watching him on national television, can show his determination and strength in doing what physicians told him was impossible from birth. An impressive line I heard came from his father, it was something along the lines of, when we fail, we always say we need to get back on the horse and try again. Why should it be any different for him? That was in regards to him falling down often during his journey.
Pat Furlong was just as motivated to help fund the research to cure Duchenne Disease. Even though many doctors didn't even want to acknowledge Duchenne because of its rareity and the seemingly hopelessness of the disease, Pat Furlong persisted to bring it out to the public as a cause that needed attention. "To get past secretaries, she would impersonate a doctor on the phone, then arraive at meeting dressed for the part." She was willing to do whatever it took to get a meeting with people that she needed help from. At first she was motivated to save the lives of her sons, then it came to a point where she got to know many other people suffering from the disease and their loved ones. The motivation shifted to try and help everyone in need. To completly devote yourself to curing the "incurable" is an astonishing undertaking.

8 comments:

  1. I feel like Dj is more persistence and will get back up quicker than people like myself who take so much for granted. He is very inspirational.

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  2. i think that DJ must have had a lot of will power! I complain what I have one blister; I cannot imagine how many he must have had.

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  3. the quote from pat's son was one of the most striking lines in the entire article. not only does it show the selflessness of a child, but it reveals something about pat herself. she socialized her son in that manner and in order to do this, she has to be a selfless person herself.

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  4. i found that stricking that she had to impersonate doctors just for them to talk to her. It shows how much Determination she has.

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  5. I found it very interesting that Mother Courage did somewhat break the law to reach her goals. From acting like a doctor and even forging her own husbands name for a loan, she was not selfish like most would be and wants to keep her children alive through her story and possibly help others to enhance the lives of these people with Duchenne.

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  6. I like the quote you picked from mother courage about her son questioning her efforts. It really showed that her son was educated and knew that he was not the only one out there facing what he was facing.

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  7. I think that the strength that Pat Furlong had is amazing. To find something that your willing to completly devote yourself to, even if its something as sad as what Furlong went through, for others for the sake of helping is a noble thing.

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  8. I love the quote from Dj's dad when he said that if you fall down you have to get back up, why would it be any different for Dj. I think its important not to linger on the bad and keep reminding him of his disability but instead motivate him and encourage persistence.

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