Grand
Council
of Cryptic Masons
of the State of Missouri
Charities of the Grand Council
Members giving at least $3.65 with their dues notice for the Charity Endowment Fund are entitled to a "penny-a-day" sticker to affix to their dues card. Stickers for Council Recorders are available from the Grand Recorder's office.
Grand Master Miller continues the Purple Heart program from last year...
Anyone giving at least $100.00 for CMMR this year will receive this CMMR Purple Heart Pin and a Solid Bronze Commemorative Medallion from the Grand Master. For more information, please contact the Grand Recorder's office.
C.M.M.R.
Cryptic Masons Medical Research Foundation
Philanthropy of
Grand Council of Cryptic Masons
of the State of Missouri,
and the
General Grand Council of
Cryptic Masons, International
Research in the
Prevention of Arteriosclerosis
Cryptic Masons Medical Research Foundation, Inc.
The Problem
Arteriosclerosis is a disease affecting the blood vessels which carry blood from the heart to all parts of the body. It is commonly called "hardening of the arteries", and is a process which results in the narrowing of these vessels. It is gradually progressive, and eventually interferes with the flow of blood. When an artery supplying the muscle of the heart is affected severely in this manner, it results in a heart attack. When a major artery supplying the brain is involved it results in a stroke; if the large artery of the leg is greatly narrowed by this process, gangrene occurs (the tissue dies) and the leg often has to be amputated, as the only method of satisfactory treatment.
Statistical Facts
Arteriosclerosis and its complications is the leading cause of death in the Western World. Heart Attacks and Strokes cause many more deaths than cancer and accidents combined, the second and third most common causes of death. In the United States heart attacks are responsible for 35% of all deaths in men in the 35-50 age group. At present a man before the age of 60 in the United States and Canada has a one in five chance of having a heart attack, resulting in sudden death. Also in this country close to two million people are affected by strokes each year, and one of ten of these loses his or her life.
It has been proposed by some authorities in the past that Arteriosclerosis is the result of the aging process, and is the inevitable consequences of old age. This argument is, however, proved wrong by the facts known at this time. First, many old people in many parts of the world, particularly in Asia, the Orient, die without any evidence of Arteriosclerosis being found in their bodies. Secondly, in contrast, significant degrees of Arteriosclerosis is often found in the bodies of young people who die in accidents, in the Western World.
Risk Factors
Arteriosclerosis increases progressively with age, and the risk of serious complications of it is higher for men than for women until after the age of sixty years.
High blood pressure, which affects more than 20,000,000 adult Americans, greatly increases the risk of Arteriosclerosis if not adequately treated.
Cigarette smoking represents another substantial risk factor. A man who smokes more than one pack of cigarettes per day has nearly twice the risk of heart attack and nearly five times the risk of a stroke than a non-smoker. Just what the substance is in cigarette smoke, that causes the fairly rapid progression of Arteriosclerosis, is not clearly known at this time.
The association between diabetes and premature Arteriosclerosis is well established as a fact. Although many diabetics have high blood lipids, Arteriosclerosis complications occur with equal frequency among diabetics with normal and abnormal blood lipid patterns (the lipids in the blood are the fatty substances, such as cholesterol, triglycecerides, etc.) The mechanisms which produce or cause the more rapidly progressing Arteriosclerosis in diabetes also isn't clearly known at this time.
A sedentary (not physically active) lifestyle as opposed to manual labor, or regular vigorous exercise is claimed to be associated with an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes; however, the factual data in support of this theory, does not establish it as a truth.
Although often said to be a major risk factor, obesity (overweight) in itself does not increase the likelihood of heart attacks. Rather, the frequent companions of obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes, put overweight people in a high risk group.
Experimental Research
In experimental animals Arteriosclerosis can be produced in many different ways: through the feeding of a diet high in cholesterol, through mechanical injury to the inner surface of an arterial blood vessel, through the repeated injection of blood serum from a different animal species, or through the infusion (injection into the blood stream), of homocystine, an abnormal substance which also accumulates in the blood, and produces severe Arteriosclerosis in patients with a rare inherited disease, called homocystineuria.
In short, Arteriosclerosis arises from multiple causes. As one distinguished scientist has expressed it: "Arteriosclerosis is the single response of the arterial wall to repeated injury in most instances the (cause) mechanism of injury cannot be defined today."
It is our plan to support an all out research effort to improve our understanding of the many causes of arteriosclerosis, their prevention and treatment. To achieve this goal, one must bring together scientists of many different talents and areas of expertise, for arteriosclerosis is a problem with the many different causes, each of which can be investigated only by highly specialized research scientists.
A research unit for the study of the causes of arteriosclerosis has been established in the setting of a large university medical center complex, the Indiana University School of Medicine. Through our support a number of young talented doctors have received their salaries enabling them to work with older more experienced colleagues, to better understand the root causes of this number one health killer. Thanks to the energy and dedication of these young individuals, substantial progress has been made.
The money we spend supporting arteriosclerosis research at the I.U. School of Medicine will make an invaluable contribution toward speeding up progress in basic research and the earlier achievements of practical solutions for the benefit of patients with arteriosclerosis. With the money we donate, we can contribute to establishing the prevention or cure of this disease that affects millions.
In the latter part of 1990, three full time researchers were added to our staff at the Indiana University Center. This is the first time that we have had full time personnel.
The I.U. Medical Center furnished us with 500 video tapes for our use and these are available to you upon request. They run nine minutes and fifty five seconds.
The time is ripe for a well controlled effort to find the basic causes which lead to Arteriosclerosis, an effort in which the many avenues of approach to the problems are brought together working intensely as a team, in the grand aim to find the answers to the many unresolved questions.
If a breakthrough in the understanding of the basic causes and problems in Arteriosclerosis occurs, it could bring within reach the necessary information which is needed to prevent and control the largest health hazard in the Western World today.
Through your generosity toward The Cryptic Masons Medical Research Foundation, Inc., you can contribute substantially to the research and eventual control of this dreaded disease. Your contributions are tax deductible.
Make Your Contributions payable to the Cryptic Masons Medical Research Foundation, Inc.
In Missouri, send your contributions to your local Recorder. Or, contributions can be sent to the Chairman of the Charities and Charity Endowment Committee or the Grand Recorder:
Robert
H. Bray
P.O. Box 290
Fayette, MO 65248-0290
Outside of Missouri, send your contributions to:
Marion K. Crum, Scty.
P.O. Box 1489
Nashville, IN 47448
Grand Council Charity Endowment Found, (C.E.F.)
A Memorial
to
Most
Illustrious Companion Bruce Harmon Hunt
Grand Master 1951 – 1952
Grand Master of Masons in Missouri
1960 – 1961
The Grand Council Charity Endowment Fund Committee was established by appointment of Most Illustrious Companion Lawrence R. Albright II, newly installed Grand Master at the 128th Annual Assembly of the Grand Council of Cryptic Masons, April 30, 1993 in Cape Girardeau.
Its purpose is endowing a fund to provide income for disbursement by the Grand Master for charitable purposes. Contributions have been annually made to the Cryptic Masons Medical Research Foundation (CMMRF), the International Order of DeMolay, the International Order of Job’s Daughters, the International Order of Rainbow for Girls and other worthy charities as designated by the sitting Grand Master. These funds have annually totaled $1000.00 and come from an impressed account for charity in the Grand Council budget.
The first gift in establishing the fund was from Zabud Council No. 25, R. & S.M., Springfield, in honor of its member, Grand Master Lawrence R. Albright II.
At the request of MIC Lawrence R. Albright II, the Charity Endowment Fund was made a Memorial to the late MIC Bruce Harmon Hunt. By unanimous consent of the Grand Officers and the ratification of the 133rd Annual Assembly, May 8, 1998, the fund has become a living memorial to a great Missouri Freemason.
With attainment of the Level-One goal of $50,000.00 in the endowment, the Grand Council can annually make significant contributions to charity.
Companions, the Level-Two goal is $100,000.00 in the next five years. With your help, WE CAN DO IT!
If in Missouri, send your C.E.F. contributions to your Council Recorder. Otherwise, send your C.E.F. contributions to the address at the bottom of this page.
Grand York Rite of Missouri
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