Perhaps Spina Bifida should benefit from our next charity auction in memory of Mike (Bigindie)

Outhaul

Whaddya think?

Cheers,

Bob

RYK

Excellent idea! Perhaps a split with Mike's family???

Outhaul

Capital idea, Robert! I'm in, I have some nice stuff to donate.

Cheers,

Bob

Placid

You sure thats what killed him and not the surgery?
Seems kind of odd he died so soon after surgery

I was not aware that spina bifida itself is life-shortening.

Outhaul

Placid,

I am not aware as to whether it was the spinal bifida or the surgery, but I do have this info from the Spina Bifida website:

"Life Expectancy:

Today's medical advances in the fields of neurosurgery and urology (early treatment is important) are making it possible for a majority of infants born with spina bifida to live into adulthood."

As I understand it, adulthood can mean anywhere from late teens on up. However, not normally past forty. If I am wrong, somebody please correct me.

Cheers,

Bob

Placid

Spina bifida is not life-shortening. Most people with this disability live a normal life span, can give birth
to children, and lead pretty active lives as long as they take care of themselves and not let the medical
problems that they are born with deteriorate or cause additional problems. Many people born with
spina bifida are wheelchair users because of more limited mobility.

Link

darktone

not to say a charity auction would be a bad thing but maybe a combined donation of all forum members under his name to a charity that fights this disease would be better? mike

Fairlaneman

Cash poor, out of work, but coin rich. The auction sounds good and some items could be donated.

I wonder if the Auction could be held on this forum with a locked thread at the top for a week or so ?

Ken

Tonekiller

I am in!

TBT

LucyBop

I will help with whatever is decided upon...

But, I will admit, I am leaning more towards helping Mikes wife and the precious baby boy....

oreville

I believe that chiefbob had already advised us that the family preferred a young numismatic oriented approach if we do anything. But that can change indeed.

JMOORE

Count me in for anything that I can do.

If you decide to go the auction route I would like to offer my auction web site for use.

It is currently not being used and the only thing that would be listed are items for the charity auction.
I can redo the catagories as needed for the auction.

Jim

lablover

I'm in!!! Don't have much but I'll find a few goodies. It would be an honor.

IrishMike

I didn't know Mike and I don't know what his family circumstances were, but I would lean toward donating the auction funds to his son. Maybe an account can be set up for him to utilize for college or expenses that come up. Perhaps we should wait for awhile and then someone who knew him contact his family to see what their wishes are. With some time to reflect the family might want to consider this option.

Wondo

I will donate some material. I agree that wife and child come first, although I applaud the suggestion of the Spina Bifida donation. Please count me in!

mgoodm3

I could probably scrape something up.

Outhaul

<< <i>Maybe an account can be set up for him to utilize for college or expenses that come up >>


Mike,

Good point! I would definately support this.

Cheers,

Bob

joeyuk

I would like to contribute in some way also. Joe

PutTogether

Sign me up, and if any one person is keeping track of all this, by all means PM me when its time to donate stuff.

chiefbob

Some clarification on Mike and spina bifida. Medical advances have truly lengthened people's lives who are recently born with this problem (open spine). However, someone like Mike who was born 30 years ago didn't have the benefit of today's technology. My research on this also says that they can live into adulthood, but that can vary considerably and in a lot of cases not much beyond 30 or so. Again, there are exceptions. Mike also took care of himself, medically and physically. The disease didn't directly kill him the the other day, it was complications related to it that did. He survived a major, 7 hour surgery last week. I visited him on Thursday of last week and he was comfortable and we talked about coins, etc. Fortunately, he was not in any pain. He then went in for a corrective surgery, then an emergency surgery. I do not want to put any more details into this post as it's not warranted and not fair to his wife. If you PM me I will supply some general details. Suffice it to say, for those of you that seemed to express some doubt about why/how he died, it was due to major complications associated with spina bifida that the surgeons said they could do nothing to help. That's what makes it so tragic in his case.

The ideas expressed on this thread are all noteworthy and wonderful. I think it will make it easier, though, if I talk to his wife and mention the various ideas being proposed and see what she thinks.

Count me in as a donor if we do an auction, and thanks to everyone for their desire to help Heather and their son James. The funeral is this Friday, and I have the heartbreak and the honor to be one of the pallbearers. Please understand that I may not be able to get an answer from Heather until after the funeral.

Thanks again, and I'll be in touch.

Bob

DHeath

Bob, I'll look forward to your suggestion. I'd love to help.

Outhaul

I think we should put this on hold until Chiefbob speaks with the family. I also believe we should cater to the family needs first.

Bob

mnmcoin

I am for sure in on anything for auction and if necessary with hold or help with the auctioning of any material donated. Sounds like bob has the lead on this, but please let me know if I can help in anyway.

I knew Mike briefly, through a four or five month email relationship, he first contacted me when he say the verses I had on my sig line and liked the idea and even asked me if it was okay if he copied the idea. I never got to meet Mike in this life, but can't wait to meet him in heaven, from the conversations we had, he was an awesome man, he will be missed and my prayers go out to his family.

morris <><

ursabear

I realize I've not been around much lately, but please count me in. I have a few coins left I could donate to the effort.

As this idea "gels", please keep me posted... Let me know what I can do to help.

Jimmy Bear

airplanenut

The checks for my last auction are being written tomorrow, and I had plans started for the next auction... if it's the board's consenus, I'll gladly hold the auction for Spina Bifida research and hopefully have it launched within a week or two.

Jeremy