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Serving Nebraska and Iowa Since 1920
VoL LXX No. 44 Omaha
3 Elul. 8753, AugOMt 20, 1993
$150,000 needed to save Mark Epstein's life By Morris Maline Twenty-three-year-old Mark Epstein would like to start graduate school this fall and he also would like to celebrate his 24th birthday next July, but right now both goals are questionable — his life is on hold. Mr. Epstein has cancer and his medical options now leave him with only one possible life-saving measure — a bone marrow transplant. With each passing day, the invasion of cancer cells continues and at this writing, his lungs are under attack. His seven rounds of chemotherapy have failed to stop the spread of disease and his physicians recommend that his healthy bone marrow be harvested so that it can be returned to his body after a final thrust at drug therapy. « The problem, however, is that his medical insurance will not pay the $150,000 estimated cost. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska have notified his physicians that benefits for high dose chemotherapy with autologous bone marrow transplant for the diagnosis of synovial cell cancer with metastasis to the lungs is considered "investigative" and that no benefits are available. This decision is under appeal. Meanwhile, time is running out And his family and friends are goirfg public in an effort to raise ^e money needed for his medical care — in essence, the money needed to save his life. "The cancer that I have is rare and there is little documentation. All I know is that the cells will continue to grow until I have the high dose of chemotherapy," Mr. Epstein said. He explained that his bone marrow is healthy at present and that harvesting will enable the return of the healthy bon marrow to his body along with growth factors when needed. Without the return of the bone marrow, there is no hope, he added.
Jewish Community Center, and was active in Temple Israel youth activities. While a senior at high school, Mr. Epstein underwent brain surgery to correct a life-threatening malformation of blood vessels surrounding his brain tissue, a condition that was the cause of blackouts. And last year he lost his left leg below the knee by amputation in an attempt to halt the flow of cancer. Throughout his interview with the Jewish Press, Mr. Epstein exhibited optimism and hope regarding his chances for the needed surgery and his eventual remission of cancer. "It feels weird, almost like someone is playing with my life and the only thing the insurance company is concerned about is the money involved." He said the hardest thing for him to bear is having to watch his family go through this. "I can handle it, but their anguish is hard for me to take." , . Mr. Epstein would like to continue with his schooling and would tike to look forward to remission, but his life is on hold and the clock keeps ticking. In a separate interview, Mrs. Epstein said she didn't think anything could be worse than the experience they endured during her son's brain surgery. "I didn't think anything could be worse than that," she said, adding that the decision of the insurance company not to pay for treatment is Mr. Epstein, a 1988 graduate of Burke High "something I wouldn't have thought of in my School and a 1992 graduate of the University of wildest dreams." Mrs. Epstein said the cost of the bone marrow Kansas, has been accepted for graduate studies in psychology at the University of Nebraska at transplant is beyond the reach of most American families and it's sad to think that the lack of money Omaha. The son of Nancy and Gary Epstein, he is cur- would deny the treatment necessary to save her rently employed as a psychiatric aide at St. Joseph son's life. Note: Responses may be directed to the Medical Health Center. During his high school and college days, he Mark Epstein Cancer Fund, Enterprise Bank, played tennis, worked as a camp counselor at the P.O. Box 37427, Omaha. NE 68137-9917.
Clinton urges Vatican relations with Israel
Settlements not necessary
By Cynthia Mann JERUSALEM (JTA) — Jewish settlements in During a Thursday night rally at Mile High the administered territories are not critical to Stadium, the pope acknowledged a small delegation Israel's security and may even get in the way of it. of Catholic youths from Israel, in his only mention Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin told a group of Jewish leaders here. of the Jewish stale. His remarks ia a State of Israel Bonds seemed For the most part, the intensely Catholic character of the World Youth Day event generated no part of a stepped-up campaign by Rabin to distance notable involvement of the Denver Jewish commu- himself from Jewish settlers as they intensify their nity, nor of any other local non-Catholic religious or protests of his government's foreign policy and plans for the territories. ethnic groups. Indeed, Rabin's comments came on the same day But two national Jewish figures known for their work in Catholic-Jewish relations — Rabbi A. the settlers met with President Ezer Weixman to James Rudin of the American Jewish Committee complain of efforts by the government to delegitand Rabbi Jack Bemporad of Sacred Heart imize their struggle. Rabin recalled the Yom Kippur War, in which University — were in Denver as invited observers. the Golan Heights settlements had to be evacuated Relations oioving, and the residents "interfered with the activity of but not fast Rudin, in comments to the Intermountain our military forces. They were innocent targets" for Jewish News before Clinton's arrival, said that the enemy," he said. He emphasized that it is the military, not the relations between Israel and the Vatican "are moving, not as fast as We would like, but certainly it is settlers, which must decide what is necessary for Israel's security. being moved forward." Rabin disclosed that following the recent visit to The rabbi also encouraged Denver Jews to be supportive of the pope and World Youth Day since the region by U.S. Secretary of State Warren many of its primary themes — family values, indi- Christopher, Russian planes b^an delivering Scud vidual responsibility and halting youth violence — missiles to Syris, probably for use by Syria and Iran. reflect American Jewish concerns. He also said it appears the Lebanese army has An internal been deployed to quell tensions along the border Catholic event "Yes, this is an intsmal Catholic event,* Rudin with Israel at a lesser rate than hsd originally been thought He said that was evidence of Syria's failsaid. "Yes, Catholic young people ttnm all over the ure to disarm Hetbollah guerrillas. CritlMl etatMMal Also addressing the Bonds group was B«i>jamin rln Its coverage, Denver's Rucky MounUin New|^ world are ooming, and we don't eipect Jews to parreferred to it as Clinton's "only statement tha| ticipate in the masses or the religious side of it, but Netanyahu, leader of the opposition Likud party. He proposed strstching out the interim Faltetinlan we want Jews to OMI part of It. could be rsfarded as critical' "There are values being expressed here that autonomy arrangement in the Oasa Strip for at It was also ons of very few aipectaof the pope's least 20 years. I /American visit with a remotely JewisriVlmension, man^ Jews can ascribe to." ^B ^^
By Chris Leppek Intermountain Jewish News DENVER (JTA) — President Clinton urged Pope John Paul H to establish full diplomatic relations with Israel during the first-ever meeting between the two world leaders here . Clinton raised the issue of Israeli-Vatican relations shortly after greeting the ponUfT at Denver's Stapleton International Airport. The pope arrived in Denver to participate in International World Youth Day, a four-day gathering of young Catholics from around the globe that temporarily swelled Denver's population by an estimated 170,000. President's suffestion The president's suggestion was made in the pope's presence during brief remarks to reporters at Denver's Regis University, where the two leaders helicoptered after airport greeting ceremonies. Describing various topics discussed during their private 60- minute meeting at the university, Clinton said he had urged "closer ties between the Vatican and Israel." "That can only help us as we seek to pursue peace in the Middle East," the president said. The pope, in hit own brief remarks to reporters, made no correiponding reference to Israel or the Middle East. The president's unexpected remark about Israel was seen by some commentators as mildly criUei^ of Vatican poliey.