AMA Addresses Underage Drinking
At the recent AMA interim House of Delegates Meeting in New Orleans, one of our members, Dr. Norman Wetterau, was on a panel that spoke to the problem of underage drinking. Dr. Wetterau opened discussion with a reminder that substance abuse is the leading cause of death of young people. Alcohol, the most common misused substance by minors, is more dangerous for teenagers than adults. Furthermore, many teenagers who binge drink also drink alone, drink to reduce stress, and suffer from unaddressed problems such as depression and posttraumatic stress syndrome. Dr. Wetterau urges physicians to screen teens for alcohol use. "When a physician performs an adolescent exam and does not ask about alcohol and drug use, he is conveying a powerful message, that these are not medical problems," says Dr. Wetterau. Other speakers showed evidence that alcohol use by teens could cause brain damage and impair learning. Another speaker discussed alcohol advertising aimed at teenagers encouraging binge drinking. At the press conference that followed, the chair of the AMA board of trustees, Dr. Edward Hill, announced an AMA position that alcohol advertising should be banned from any TV program before 10 PM or in which minors make up more than 15% of viewers. Dr. Norm Wetterau will be at General Conference in Seattle, Washington, in late June and early July. There will be a reception for friends and members of the Free Methodist Medical Fellowship on June 30 after the evening service.

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FREE METHODIST MEDICAL FELLOWSHIP
The Free Methodist Medical Fellowship seeks to bring together Christian healthcare professionals for the purpose of helping each other reflect Christ and communicate the gospel in their professional lives.

Officers and Board Members for 2003

Officers:
Cedric Johnson, MD, President
Norman Wetterau, MD, Vice-President
K. David Lefler MD, Treasurer

Board Members: Denny Donnell, MD
Joel Miller, MD,
Ed Lamoreaux, DDS
Kamilia Snyder, MD

Medical Missions Advisor: Glenn Snyder, MD

TAB prn editor: Timothy Kratzer, MD

FMMF trip to HAITI

On a recent trip by Dr. Cedric Johnson, Dr. Mark Stine, Debbie Stine and Nurse Greg Ingle to Haiti, several things impressed the group. First, Dan Snyder and his family are faithful and a joy to be with. Dan is always evaluating his work and the place of the Haitian staff in it. His insights are always on target. The hospital, as a physical plant, is being administered and maintained at a high level by the Haitians themselves. The staff at Dessalines, both medical and support, are all professional and competent. They work long hours (12 hour days) while, at the same time, their wages are being eroded by extreme inflation. At an evening fellowship of about 50 staff members and their families the Christian joy was so profound as to be impossible to describe with words. Dr. Johnson and Nurse Ingle kept the OR busy. Debbie assisted Dr. Stine in the medical clinic. Haiti's economic situation is more dismal than ever, so special funds were used to help subsidize much of our medical care.

Sharing Ourselves

In March, Connie and I had a vacation we will never forget. We visited our son Nathan in France, who is teaching English to elementary students. Our last-born greeted us at Charles DeGaulle airport eager to share his world with us. Our adventure into his world began with a 90-minute TGV train ride to his "home town" of LeMans. We toured the town that very afternoon, getting a view of the 2000-year-old Roman Walls and 800-year-old cathedral, colored a golden hue by the afternoon sun. That evening Nathan treated us to a five-course meal of his own creation. Our tour continuedThe beaches of Normandy, where we remembered an allied invasion that saved the world from Nazi ruleBayeaux, the first town liberated by the British forces and the resting place for the 800 year old tapestry recording of William the Conqueror's English conquestsSt. Brieuc in Brittany, where Nathan first met the French and their culture... Carnac on the southern coast of Brittany, the site of a prehistoric culture and the "savage coast" of the Atlantic. We sensed, even as we said goodbye to Nathan, that we had not seen all he wanted us to. We did, however, connect heart to heart.

FMMF is about sharing our hearts one with another. It is never enough, but we meet yearly in our consultations to share our lives with those about whom we care. Now is the time to make a commitment to be a part of this year's consultation at Niagara Falls, New York. We hope that you will be able to join us. -Dr. Timothy Kratzer, Editor

Mission Statement
The Free Methodist Medical Fellowship seeks to bring together Christian
healthcare professionals for the purpose of helping each other reflect
Christ and communicate the gospel in their professional lives.