(Chelsea Update would like to thank Jan Carr for the information in this story.)
Those who knew Chelsea resident Pam Radcliffe knew these things about her: She was insatiably curious, and she cared deeply about her community.
When she retired from her position as assistant director of the Chelsea Area Chamber of Commerce, she combined those two character traits, and became a founding member of the Adult Learners Institute (ALI) in Chelsea. When she died of ALS (also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease) in May 2015, it came as no surprise that she had left a gift to ALI to expand their programming for the Chelsea-area community.
On May 12, the Adult Learners Institute will honor Pam’s commitment to them, and to her community, by hosting the Inaugural Pam Radcliffe Memorial Lecture. The topic of this Inaugural Lecture will be “The history and causes of ALS, and University of Michigan’s role in unraveling this mystery”, presented by Stephen Aaron Goutman, MD, Assistant Professor of Neurology at University of Michigan Health Systems.
Jan Carr, ALI board member, sees this as a fitting tribute to Pam’s boundless curiosity.
“The first thing she did when she received her diagnosis was begin to learn as much as she could about ALS,” Carr said, adding, “Many of us learned about this disease for the first time when millions participated in the Ice Bucket Challenge. But the research work goes on day after day, right here at the University of Michigan.
“We’re excited to have Dr. Goutman talk about the causes of ALS, and potential treatment options, including the role of stem cell therapies. We know that, with or without her own experiences, Pam would have been right in the front row, asking questions and taking notes,” she said.
The inaugural Pam Radcliffe Memorial Lecture will begin at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 12, and will be held at Silver Maples of Chelsea, 100 Silver Maples Dr.
It is free and open to all. No registration is required.
