Sally Henry Memorial Award Winner—2002
Elisabeth Linton
by Michele McAdoo
The Sally Henry Award is presented in memory of Sally Henry, a memorable Home Economist who had a great enthusiasm for life, and many diverse interests beyond her professional commitments.
This year's recipient is well deserving of this award both professionally and personally. I have the privilege and honour of presenting the Sally Henry award to Elisabeth Linton. Lis is a well-rounded individual, genuine, caring and talented. I think Sally would agree she is deserving of this award.
After completing her degree at Ryerson, Elisabeth Linton began her career in the Kraft Test Kitchens where she worked for just over 3 years. During this time she developed Baker's recipes and products, and helped with the launch of Baker's White Chocolate. Elisabeth left Kraft after having her first child. She soon freelanced as a food stylist and worked on Baker's Chocolate Booklets and some of the early editions of the What's Cooking Magazine. Her creative and artistic talents as well as her attention to detail and hard work have made her well respected in the industry.
Like Sally Henry, Elisabeth has mentored others and given freely of her time and expertise. She is a very sharing and caring person.
Lis and her family's life have changed a great deal since 1998. Elisabeth and her husband Randall suspected that things were not well with their third child, Elisa, who unlike her older siblings Jessica and Connor, wasn't quite reaching normal childhood milestones of speech, cognitive and motor skills. They were totally shocked at the diagnosis they received.
Sanfilippo is a particular horrific disorder affecting about 1 in every 24,000 children, but is related to other neuro-degenerative disorders that affect 1 in 5,000. Sanfilippo children are missing an essential enzyme that helps the body break down a complex sugar. Without this enzyme, the sugar builds up in the organs, bones and brain, stopping normal development. Elisa will soon lose her ability to speak; by the age of 10, she will be confined to a wheelchair, and her life will be shortened.
Facing this terrible news many of us would stop and ask why me? I think there is a purpose to everyone's life, we may not know what it is right away but at some point we do realize what our purpose or calling is. For Elisabeth, it's to become an advocate for children with this disease. Elisabeth and her husband Randall began learning as much as they could about Sanfilippo. They discovered that no research was being done in Canada, in fact very little in the world. They decided to do something for their daughter and other children with this condition. Elisabeth and Randall were inspired by a family in the US whose child also suffers with this disease and who started a Foundation to raise money to support research. They came back to Canada and established a charitable foundation here called “The Sanfilippo Children's Research Foundation” and a campaign called “A Life for Elisa”. They also began writing biannual newsletters providing an update on Elisa's status, fundraising campaigns by friends and family as well as research updates. To date, the Foundation has raised over $750,000 of which 98% has been committed to research.
Over the last couple of years Lis has tirelessly fundraised, written letters and supported this cause while maintaining a normal household for Elisa and her 2 siblings. She is an active member on their school board, fundraises for the public school as well as supports the family's church community.
Lis and Randall will be attending an MPS symposium this summer in Paris, France. They will have the opportunity to talk to some of the world's leading experts on Sanfilippo disease to find out research opportunities and funding needs. Lis told me that she had been nominated in the Flare Magazine Contest for outstanding people and has been awarded the Volunteer of the Year Award.
I admire Lis and her family for what they are achieving because most of the work they are doing may not help their daughter today but will help many children in the near future.
Lis, you are a most worthy Home Economist to receive the Sally Henry Award for 2002.