Pack93z
  • Pack93z
  • Select Member Topic Starter
14 years ago
The world needs to report more stories such as this... truly shows, IMO, what we, the human race, are capable of if we set our minds to it.

http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/90900944.html 

Even while dying, Calderone-Stewart keeps program alive

By Tom Held of the Journal Sentinel

Posted: April 14, 2010 |(10) Comments

In January, when Lisa-Marie Calderone-Stewart nominated one of the youth leaders from her House of Peace mentoring group to receive a volunteer award, she didn't expect to see him win.

It wasn't because she doubted Arthur Cameron deserved the honor. She thought she would be dead.

Perhaps her survival - now a month beyond the six-month prognosis delivered in August - served as a testament to the mental and physical benefits of volunteering that speakers touted during the Volunteer Center of Milwaukee awards luncheon Wednesday.

It certainly added poignancy to Cameron's own acceptance speech pledge "to make it a lifestyle."

Though weakened by the cancer attacking her bile ducts, Calderone-Stewart beamed when talking about the young man poised to carry on her own mission of leading others to do good works. It's what she has done for most of her 52 years, as a swim coach in Alabama, then a leader of Catholic Youth Ministries in Milwaukee and creator of the Tomorrow's Present program.

She started the mentoring and youth leadership training effort while working with the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, then moved it to the House of Peace when her job was eliminated in 2001. With no salary, she raised the money to support the effort through grants and donations.

Calderone-Stewart devoted much of her energy to keeping the program alive, even after a cancer diagnosis in August announced her own death.

Without a hint of bitterness or remorse, she remained only positive. She is happy that a fund drive in her name will keep the program intact. She relishes the time to say goodbye and the success of her youths.

"This way of dying has almost been the best part of my life," she said. "I'm delighted that my death can bring life to Tomorrow's Present."

Cameron, 17, earned his Inspire by Example award through his work as a mentor in the teen leadership program. The award was one of six presented at the 28th annual Volunteer Celebration.

Joy Alexander, volunteer administrator from the Salvation Army of Greater Milwaukee, and Rockwell Automation were among the award recipients honored during the ceremony in the Italian Community Center.

As one of 16 teen leaders, Cameron devotes himself to 100 hours of training each year, service work with the Special Olympics. He mentors other youths in conflict resolution and peacemaking and tutors middle school students in academics.

"He's definitely a natural leader, but if you had seen him his freshman year, you wouldn't have thought so," Calderone-Stewart said. "He's funny as well as smart; incredibly humble.

"He's a real servant and always looking out for what needs to be done."

No one spoke of Calderone-Stewart's illness during the awards presentations, but many of the remarks seemed to emanate from her spirit.

Rebecca Williams, honored for her work with the Badger Association of the Blind and Visually Impaired, talked of being inspired and enriched by the knowledge she could help others.

Michelle Crockett, recipient of the Fran Swigart Board Leadership Award, told the crowd of 450 that she had been inspired by other volunteers to adopt the mind-set, "I am the difference."

And John Hahn, from the South East Wisconsin Master Gardeners, offered this aphorism: "Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth."

Before being helped to a car, Calderone-Stewart sat and explained that the cancer in her liver didn't respond to chemotherapy and would soon destroy her last bile duct. Her body will weaken and lose the ability to fight toxins.

"That's when I'll get very sick, fairly fast," she said.

When it happens, she can be assured that her rent has been paid in full.


"The oranges are dry; the apples are mealy; and the papayas... I don't know what's going on with the papayas!"
Fan Shout
packerfanoutwest (11h) : Jaire Alexander says he has a torn PCL
Zero2Cool (20-Nov) : Even with the context it's ... what?
Mucky Tundra (20-Nov) : Matt LaFleur without context: “I don’t wanna pat you on the butt and you poop in my hand.”
beast (20-Nov) : We brought in a former Packers OL coach to help evaluate OL as a scout
beast (20-Nov) : Jets have been pretty good at picking DL
Zero2Cool (20-Nov) : He landed good players thanks to high draft slot. He isn't good.
Zero2Cool (20-Nov) : He can shove his knowledge up his ass. He knows nothing.
beast (20-Nov) : More knowledge, just like bring in the Jets head coach
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : What? Why? Huh?
beast (19-Nov) : I wonder if the Packers might to try to bring Douglas in through Milt Hendrickson/Ravens connections
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : The Jets fired Joe Douglas, per sources
packerfanoutwest (19-Nov) : Jets are a mess......
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : Pretty sure Jets fired their scouting staff and just pluck former Packers.
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : Jets sign Anders Carlson to their 53.
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : When you cycle the weeks, the total over remains for season. But you get your W/L for that selected week. Confusing.
packerfanoutwest (19-Nov) : the total and percentage are the same as the previous weeks
packerfanoutwest (19-Nov) : the total and percentage are the same as the previous weeks
packerfanoutwest (19-Nov) : the totals are accurate..nrvrtmind
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : I don't follow what you are saying. The totals are not the same as last week.
packerfanoutwest (19-Nov) : ok so then wht are the totals the same as last week?
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : NFL Pick'em is auto updated when NFL Scores tab is clicked
Martha Careful (19-Nov) : The offense was OK. Let's not forget the Bear defense is very very good.
packerfanoutwest (19-Nov) : Who updates the leaderboard on NFLPickem?
beast (19-Nov) : Has the Packers offense been worse since the former Jets coach joined the Packers?
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : Offense gets his ass in gear, this could be good.
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : Backup QB helped with three wins. Special Teams contributed to three wins.
bboystyle (18-Nov) : Lions played outside thats why. They scored 16 and 17 in the only 2 outside games this year
Zero2Cool (18-Nov) : The rest of the NFL is catching up to Packers ... kicking is an issue throughout league
packerfanoutwest (18-Nov) : Packers DL Kenny Clark: We knew 'we were going to block' Bears' game-winning field goal attempt
Zero2Cool (18-Nov) : Lions seem to be throttling everyone, but only (only) got 24 lol maybe the rain is why
Zero2Cool (18-Nov) : Packers vs Lions game doesn't seem so bad.
beast (18-Nov) : Dennis Green "They are what we thought they were, and we let them off the hook!"
Martha Careful (17-Nov) : comment of the day Z2Cool "Bears better than we want to admit. Packers worse than we think. It's facts."
Mucky Tundra (17-Nov) : my worst case scenario: Bears fix their oline and get a coach like Johnson from the Lions and his scheme
Zero2Cool (17-Nov) : Bears get OL fixed amd we might have a problem
buckeyepackfan (17-Nov) : Pretty sure they already have scouting reports on guys who aren't even starting for their college team. The future is now for me.
buckeyepackfan (17-Nov) : I tend to let Gute and Co. Worry about the future.
beast (17-Nov) : That's great news and Packers need to keep upgrading their OL, DL and DBs this off-season, so missing one guy doesn't kill them
beast (17-Nov) : That's great news and Packers need to keep upgrading their OL, DL and DBs this off-season, so missing one guy doesn't kill them
buckeyepackfan (17-Nov) : Jaire and Evans Williams are both ACTIVE! Good news.
Martha Careful (17-Nov) : The badgers really need to change the whole offensive scheme. No draws no screens plus the quarterback is marginal
Cheesey (17-Nov) : If the Badgers had a decent QB, they would have won. The guy can't hit a wide open receiver
Martha Careful (17-Nov) : chop block
Martha Careful (17-Nov) : there was a very questionable job Block call that upon viewing replay was very borderline
beast (17-Nov) : How so? (I didn't watch)
Zero2Cool (17-Nov) : Badgers got hosed vs Oregon
packerfanoutwest (16-Nov) : damn,he hasn't played since week 2
Mucky Tundra (15-Nov) : poor guy can't catch a break
wpr (15-Nov) : wow. That three different things for the kid.
Zero2Cool (15-Nov) : MarShawn Lloyd has appendicitis according to Matt LaFleur.
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