Arc-US Sets Up Prevention Fund
— Godfrey Oakley Honored —
PREVENTION ADVOCATES - TAKE NOTICE
During the October 1998 annual convention in Fort Worth Texas, the Arc-US
announced the establishment of a grant fund endowment program in order to assist Arc
chapters with their efforts to pursue prevention initiatives. This prevention fund will be
used solely to provide a technique for financially stimulating local and state level
actions in primary prevention – stopping the mental retardation before it occurs.
The fund will be named The Godfrey Oakley Prevention Fund in honor of the recently retired
Doctor Godfrey P. Oakley, Jr. of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Oakley had spent 30 years in the Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities division of
CDC and this fantastic, dedicated man has become internationally recognized as a major
promoter of actions designed to prevent known causes of mental retardation.
His recent efforts within the CDC involved demonstrating that Valproic Acid, Accutane, and
Chorionic Villus Sampling cause birth defects – AND that the vitamin B, Folic Acid,
helps to prevent them. Under Godfrey’s leadership, Folic Acid is now added to all
flour, cereal and bread products.
Of course, a fund of this nature requires money to support. This “newborn”
prevention fund needs your help and money. To contribute to this fund, please contact
Sharon Davis at The Arc, 500 E. Border Street, Third Floor, Arlington, TX., 76010,
1-817-261-6003.
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November / December 1998
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