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SEPTEMBER 19 - SEPTEMBER 25, 2018
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Public safety honors fallen on 9/11
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America pulled together to stand tall, and give comfort to friends and strangers, because that’s what we do in time of need.
BY CLAY NEELY
clay@newnan.com Coweta County’s public safety agencies held a q u i e t c e r e m o ny o n the West Court Square in dow ntow n New na n Tu e s d a y m o r n i n g t o memorialize the events of 9/11. The annual cerem ony i n c lude d t h re e color g u a rd s con si sting of members of the Newnan Police Department, the Newnan Fi re D epa r t ment a nd Coweta Cou nt y Fi re Rescue. Newnan Police Chief Douglas “Buster” Meadows spoke in h o n o r of t h o s e w h o sacrificed their lives 17 years ago. " T he l ive s of m a ny families were changed by cowards,” Meadows said. "A m e r i c a p u l l e d
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together to sta nd ta ll, a nd g ive com for t to friends a nd stra ngers, because that's what we do in time of need." Verna Funk from Boy Scout Troop 242 led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance. T he 10 -m i nute ceremony then concluded with the presentation of five memorial wreaths. The f irst wreath was a memoria l to t he civi lia ns, t he second to members of the New York Fire Department, the third to law e n forc e m e nt of f ic e r s who foug ht to restore o r d e r, t h e f o u r t h t o emergency medical service personnel and the f i f t h to represent t he men and women of the armed ser vices who have fought terrorism since 2001.
PHOTO BYCLAY NEELY
Georgia State Troopers Olen Kuhr and Katie Thompson prepare to place a wreath honoring the men and women of the armed services who have fought terrorism since 2001.
Local organization is ‘empowering’ children fighting against cancer
PHOTO BY MELANIE RUBERTI
Cameron Teagle, 17, is helping his dad, Derrick, raise money for children living with pediatric cancer during the inaugural Empowered for Life Golf Tournament. From left are Cameron and Derrick Teagle.
BY MELANIE RUBERTI
melanie@newnan.com The Teagle family of Newnan knows what it’s li ke to f ig ht pediat ric cancer. Cameron Teagle, now 1 7, w a s d i a g n o s e d i n 2012 with Non-Hodgkin ly mphom a . He wa s 1 2 years old. “ We w e r e g e t t i n g d re s s e d one m or n i n g and I noticed he had a bump on his face,” said Derrick Teagle, Cameron’s father. “ I re a c he d out to a doctor I used to work with … He told me to go to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.” After a biopsy, doctors at CHOA called Derrick and told him Cameron had cancer. “It was one of t he m o s t c r u s h i n g ph on e calls I’ve ever received,” Derrick sa id. “I was shocked and I couldn’t stop crying.” “I didn’t really understand the diagnosis, but
wh e n I le a r n e d m ore about it, I was scared,” Cameron said. He had a combination of radiation and chemotherapy for nine months before being declared in remission. Now, f ive yea rs out from the initial cancer diag nosis, Ca meron is considered cured. However, the disease took its toll on the entire Teagle family, Derrick said. “ We a ll experienced it. I stopped work i ng, so t here was a lways a f i n a n c i a l s t r a i n . We were broke ,” he s a id . “But the people at CHOA always treated us like kings and queens. So we decided we were a l w a y s g oi n g to g i ve back to them after Cameron left.” Derrick and Cameron a re ma k ing good on their promise next week by holding the inaugural Empowered For Life Golf Tournament on Fri-
day, Sept. 14. The fundraiser will be held at the Coweta Club inside the Arbor Springs Pla ntation neig hborhood off N. Hwy 29. Half the proceeds will benefit the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center at CHOA. The other portion will go towards the Empowere d For L i fe or g a n ization, which mentors local youths. It’s a program Derrick s t a r te d i n 2 0 0 7 a f ter praying to God to f ind his main purpose in life, he said. “ We ’ r e m e n t o r i n g kids, helping them grow a nd m a x i m i zi ng t hei r talents, whether that’s athletics, science or cutting hair,” Derrick said. “ We have teens t hat do internships, we take k id s on col le ge tou r s a nd hold sem i n a rs on topics, such as bullying. We’re pla nti ng a seed in the youth. Somebody has to plant and some-
one has to water it.” According to Derrick, E m p o w e r e d Fo r L i f e has mentored 535 local yout h s i n t he pa st 10 years. Of that number, the organization helped 249 teens achieve academ ic schola rsh ips to their chosen colleges or universities. T he Empowered For Life group also teaches te en s to g ive bac k to their community – somet h i ng t he Tea g le family will continue to do next Friday. “I’m f i r m a bel iever that it’s a blessing to be a blessing,” Derrick said. “T hose who pa r ticipate in the tournament will bless a local organization and children with cancer. “ We a l l k now a k id who struggles, and we all know kids with cancer. We ne e d to help them out,” he added. “I t h i n k t h is a good idea,” Cameron said of t h e g ol f to u r n a m e n t . “It ’s inspiring a nd it ’s good for the community too.” Golfers will tee off on the Coweta Club green at 9 a.m. on Sept. 14. Players have a chance to win a first place prize of $50 0, second place prize of $250 or a Toyota Tacoma, if they make a hole in one. The cost to enter the tou r na ment is $75 per golfer or $300 per team. The price also includes lunch. Empowered For Li fe is still ta k ing applicat ion s for to u r n a m e nt sponsorships. Fo r m o r e i n f o r m a tion, email Derrick Teagle at dte4life@gmail. com or contact him at 678-953-2092.
Seniors at risk of opioid overdose BY KANDICE BELL
kandice@newnan.com Although a majority of the opioid overdose deaths in Georgia are of people under age 50, the senior population is at risk, too. Older adults are among the major users of opioid drugs because their doctors prescribe them, according to Judi Kanne, a registered nurse and freelance writer. Drug overdoses have become the leading cause of death of Americans under 50, with two-thirds of those deaths from opioids. Seniors often are prescribed opioids like Percocet or Lortab to treat moderate to severe pain, according to Dr. Samer B. Blackmon of Piedmont Physicians at White Oak. Blackmon said seniors can take those drugs to relieve pain without danger if they’re careful. “Stick to the dose prescribed by your physician,” Blackmon said. “Addiction is different than becoming tolerant to medications and is more a mental state issue.” Blackmon said opioids do not mix well with alcohol or other medications and drugs. “Speak with your physician about other medications you take regularly,” Blackmon said. The Piedmont doctor said a common sideeffect of opioids in elderly patients is constipation. “You want to be careful to avoid polypharmacy,” Blackmon said.
Polypharmacy is the concurrent use of multiple medications by a patient, which can happen when multiple prescriptions are prescribed to treat side effects. Polypharmacy is most common among the elderly, particularly because they most likely are already taking multiple medications daily. Blackmon said patients can also talk to their doctors about how to wean off of a medication. From June 2016 to May 2017, the total number of opioid doses prescribed to Georgia patients surpassed 5 41 m i llion , according to Attorney General Chris Carr. Recent data from AARP suggests a sharp increase in opioid use a mong A merica ns of all ages, including those over 55. • • • •
55-plus years – 32 percent. 35-54 – 36 percent 25-34 – 31 percent 15-24 – 7 percent
Georgia’s Department of Public Health data shows that older people are the demographic with the highest rate of opioid prescriptions. In 2016, Gov. Nathan Deal signed executive orders to put naloxone into the hands of more Georgians. The General Assembly later codified those orders by passing legislation. The law supports expanding naloxone awareness and availability to the general public.