Commitment to Community profile: Bringing comfort and joy with Dr. J. David Spence, Kathy Wallis and Nancy Chen

Feeding the community's soul through music

Plato once said that, "Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything,"

For the past 25years, Dr. J. David Spence, professor, Clinical Neurological Sciences, has been bringing music to the lives of people in our community. As a choral performer with local choirs London Pro Musica and London Fanshawe Chorus, he has entertained audiences, and supported a variety of charities. He has also ensured that young people in our community have access to live concerts. "Making concerts available to young people at reduced prices and performing concerts for charity gives back to the community," said Spence. "But more importantly good music is good for the soul. Live performances have a spiritual impact that is not achieved by recorded music."

You can listen to Dr. J. David Spence's musical group:
http://www.londonpromusica.ca/recordings or
http://www.londonpromusica.ca/samples/snowhasfallen/track06.mp3

Creating a special place called home

Kathy Wallis, media relations officer, first learned about Participation House Support Services (PHSS) while working as a health reporter. Her nephew, Harry is developmentally handicapped, so she took a personal interest in the story. She recalls even mentioning to the director of the home at the time, that she hoped her nephew might one day be able to live in one of the homes supported by PHSS. Little did she know that not only would she become a board member, Harry would indeed enjoy his adult life in one of their homes.

PHSS supports individuals with developmental disabilities and/or complex physical needs to live in their own homes, to participate in community and to enjoy life with family and friends. PHSS serves a population that, not so long ago, would have lived in large institutions. Instead they are living in our neighborhoods, and enjoying what life has to offer.

For Wallis, her work with PHSS, is connected to a desire to help an organization that has helped her family. She will admit however, that she receives so much more out of it than that. "When I attend our holiday party or summer picnic, I am so moved to see the interaction of staff, families and our supported individuals. I feel a great deal of pride to be working with such an important agency. PHSS enriches the community by allowing those people with severe disabilities to be an active participant in it."

Hungry for Change

Hungry for Change is an annual event which raises awareness of global health issues, and funds in support of research scholarships in global health, as well as global health issues such as outreach programs and Orphanages in third-world countries. A medical student initiative supported by the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, it is now in its fifth year. Nancy Chen, the 2013 Event Chair, believes the program is a great way for students to give back to the community and make a difference in the field of global health issues right here in Canada.

The theme is for the event this year is physical activity. "Many people don't realize that physical inactivity is the fourth leading cause for global mortality and the cause of 80% of non-communicable diseases as well," said Chen. "We felt it was important to build greater awareness of the need for physical activity and hope in doing so we can bring positive change to peoples' lives."