I got word today that an old friend of mine was no longer of his former mind. Two heart attacks and then a severe epileptic seizure has left him with no short term memory, and very little long term memory. Every day - he has to re-learn how to do ... everything.
When I got the news, I sat and cried. I cried for his loss. I cried for how this must be affecting life for his wife and three children. And I cried that I had let so much time go by without getting in touch with him - to let him know that he had been a special person in my life.
He is only in his 40's.
Friends of his (and mine) put together a fundraising event for him - because he can no longer work ... and the promo for that event says it all.
Please keep Martin and his family in your prayers.
Thanks for listening.
B
Tuesday, July 12, 2005
Monday, July 11, 2005
About Martin ... and the Fundraiser
Martin Harris can’t remember you.
But you’ll remember Martin.
As a friend, as a colleague, as a husband and a father.
And right now, Martin and his family need your support.
Martin Harris joined Jack Morton Worldwide as a senior producer in 1997. Previouslyto this he’d held senior production positions at both PSH Marketing and Module Group.Over this time, Martin had become a highly talented and much respected figure whowas enjoying considerable success at the height of a career spanning more thantwenty years in the Live Communications arena. Just under a year ago all that ended.
On 25th May 2004, Martin suffered a major epileptic fit that has left him with permanent brain damage. Although physically he is quite well and in many ways seems just like the cheerful Martin we all know or remember, he faces some serious challenges.
Martin’s short-term memory is seriously impaired and his long-term memory of many events in his life is either greatly confused or entirely missing. He has no real recollection of friends and colleagues he has known for years. He is confused and vague about what he did both in his home and work life, with few clear memories of either. Much of his happy and successful life has simply disappeared. Martin’s short term memory problems are acute. He retains little of what he experiences daily for more than a few hours, if that. He doesn’t remember what he did yesterday, or who he met, or what he is doing tomorrow. Simple processes that we take for granted, like making a cup of tea, have to be re-learned on a daily basis.
The good news is that for some months now Martin has been living at home with hisfamily and has got into a steady routine. The thanks for this go to his wife Beverleywho cares for him 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This huge and continuous task iscarried out with love, patience, dignity and immense strength and courage.
As you read this and remember the Martin you know, and try to imagine the challengesand pressures that he and his family will always now be under, you, like all of us here atJack Morton will feel that you want to do something to help Martin, Beverley and the kids.
Well, you can . . .
On Thursday 30th June 2005 we are having a glittering, ding-dong of a fundraiser at
The Bridge at London Bridge SE1.
It will be a fantastic evening of partying and top entertainment in this great venue. If nothing else, it will be a great gathering of industry folk - agencies, suppliers and freelancers alike. As well as being lots of fun, the event is also the opportunity for all of us to raise as much money as we can for Martin and his family through auctions, raffles and paying attractions.
No one likes a good party more than Martin, so there’s no more fitting way to support him than
joining us for a great night out and parting with as much cash as you can spare. Tickets for the
event will be £35 each and will include food and entertainment but not drink, bar proceeds are
going to the Martin Harris Fund.
• LIVE MUSIC FROM THE MARTIN HARRIS BAND AND ZIG ZAG • TWO DJS • AUCTION • RAFFLE • AND MUCH MORE GREAT ENTERTAINMENT •
How you can help
Basically by buying tickets and coming to the event. What we’d like you to do is to buy a block of
tickets that you can then sell on or give to your staff, colleagues, clients or friends. We will also be generating individual ticket sales but block ticket sales will be much more effective and we’d really appreciate your help in this.
So please support this hugely worthwhile cause and do also forward this email to anyone else who you feel is up for a great night out to support Martin and his family.
To apply for blocks of tickets, simply reply to this email by 20th May please (in order to help us
manage numbers) telling us how many you want, it’s that easy.
If you cannot attend the event but would like to help raise funds anyway or make a donation, please send a cheque made payable to The Martin Harris Fund to
Richard Rowe
Jack Morton Worldwide
16-18 Acton Park Estate
Stanley Gardens
London W3 7QE
Please remember to come on June 30th
because, unlike Martin,
you can.
Laurence Croneen
Chairman & Managing Director
Jack Morton Worldwide
But you’ll remember Martin.
As a friend, as a colleague, as a husband and a father.
And right now, Martin and his family need your support.
Martin Harris joined Jack Morton Worldwide as a senior producer in 1997. Previouslyto this he’d held senior production positions at both PSH Marketing and Module Group.Over this time, Martin had become a highly talented and much respected figure whowas enjoying considerable success at the height of a career spanning more thantwenty years in the Live Communications arena. Just under a year ago all that ended.
On 25th May 2004, Martin suffered a major epileptic fit that has left him with permanent brain damage. Although physically he is quite well and in many ways seems just like the cheerful Martin we all know or remember, he faces some serious challenges.
Martin’s short-term memory is seriously impaired and his long-term memory of many events in his life is either greatly confused or entirely missing. He has no real recollection of friends and colleagues he has known for years. He is confused and vague about what he did both in his home and work life, with few clear memories of either. Much of his happy and successful life has simply disappeared. Martin’s short term memory problems are acute. He retains little of what he experiences daily for more than a few hours, if that. He doesn’t remember what he did yesterday, or who he met, or what he is doing tomorrow. Simple processes that we take for granted, like making a cup of tea, have to be re-learned on a daily basis.
The good news is that for some months now Martin has been living at home with hisfamily and has got into a steady routine. The thanks for this go to his wife Beverleywho cares for him 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This huge and continuous task iscarried out with love, patience, dignity and immense strength and courage.
As you read this and remember the Martin you know, and try to imagine the challengesand pressures that he and his family will always now be under, you, like all of us here atJack Morton will feel that you want to do something to help Martin, Beverley and the kids.
Well, you can . . .
On Thursday 30th June 2005 we are having a glittering, ding-dong of a fundraiser at
The Bridge at London Bridge SE1.
It will be a fantastic evening of partying and top entertainment in this great venue. If nothing else, it will be a great gathering of industry folk - agencies, suppliers and freelancers alike. As well as being lots of fun, the event is also the opportunity for all of us to raise as much money as we can for Martin and his family through auctions, raffles and paying attractions.
No one likes a good party more than Martin, so there’s no more fitting way to support him than
joining us for a great night out and parting with as much cash as you can spare. Tickets for the
event will be £35 each and will include food and entertainment but not drink, bar proceeds are
going to the Martin Harris Fund.
• LIVE MUSIC FROM THE MARTIN HARRIS BAND AND ZIG ZAG • TWO DJS • AUCTION • RAFFLE • AND MUCH MORE GREAT ENTERTAINMENT •
How you can help
Basically by buying tickets and coming to the event. What we’d like you to do is to buy a block of
tickets that you can then sell on or give to your staff, colleagues, clients or friends. We will also be generating individual ticket sales but block ticket sales will be much more effective and we’d really appreciate your help in this.
So please support this hugely worthwhile cause and do also forward this email to anyone else who you feel is up for a great night out to support Martin and his family.
To apply for blocks of tickets, simply reply to this email by 20th May please (in order to help us
manage numbers) telling us how many you want, it’s that easy.
If you cannot attend the event but would like to help raise funds anyway or make a donation, please send a cheque made payable to The Martin Harris Fund to
Richard Rowe
Jack Morton Worldwide
16-18 Acton Park Estate
Stanley Gardens
London W3 7QE
Please remember to come on June 30th
because, unlike Martin,
you can.
Laurence Croneen
Chairman & Managing Director
Jack Morton Worldwide
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