(MARCH 8, 2007) -- The Associated Press has reported that Bill Chinnock passed away yesterday in his home. Bill was one of the founding members of the Asbury Park rock and roll scene and went on to become one of the biggest artists in Maine.
Upstage Magazine has set up a tribute to Bill on our AsburyMusic.com website and we're seeking any photos or comments from fans for a future article.
Chinnock was a native of Newark, New Jersey and had bands featuring many musicians who would go on to play in the E Street Band with Bruce Springsteen.
He moved to Maine in the seventies and recorded 13 albums. Career highlights include winning an Emmy for the song "Somewhere in the Night" and recording a duet with Roberta Flack which became a theme song for "Guiding Light" soap opera.
Bill had been suffering from Lyme Disease. His manager, Paul Pappas, told a tv station in Portland, Maine that the disease led to him ultimately committing suicide. It was the second time he had been afflicted with the disease. He was 59 years old.
Pat Smith's Response:
Another human life lost, another talent cut short due to a disease many continue to say is easy to diagnose and easy to cure. On the contrary, as Mr. Chinnock's story illustrates, Lyme disease is serious, debilitating, and very painful.
It can attack the heart, muscles, joints, and brain. It can physically cripple the patient and lead to deterioration of various organs and it can cause numerous psychiatric manifestations including depression.
Patients with Lyme disease have limited places to turn for help since a medical controversy swirls around Lyme, causing doctors to be harassed for treating it and patients to be denied coverage for treatment.
Mr. Chinnock's native state of New Jersey has done virtually nothing to combat the disease, yet it ranks third in the nation in reported case numbers.
His adopted state of Maine has seen cases increase six fold since 1999. Unchecked, this disease is like a wildfire consuming patients and their families in its path.
Perhaps his death and others due to Lyme could have been prevented if the CDC and NIH placed more emphasis on the disease, and if government officials tried to promote awareness instead of limiting cases that can be reported, leading to vast under reporting.
Instead of marginalizing the problems of patients with chronic Lyme disease, they must now work with patient advocacy organizations who are almost singularly educating and "legislating" changes to stop the spread and devastation of Lyme and other tick-borne diseases.
To that end, we ask all to support HR 741 (Smith/Stupak) in the US House of Representatives which will provide $100 million over five years for prevention, research, education, and patient support.
Also LDA and Time for Lyme, its Connecticut affiliate, are poised to embrace the opening of the first endowed chronic Lyme disease research center at Columbia University in New York this spring.
The all volunteer groups have raised $3 million to open the center. Focusing on research may stop the suffering from this disease and prevent other families from suffering a needless tragedy like this one.
Pat Smith President Lyme Disease Association, Inc.
-------------------- nan Posts: 2135 | From Tick Country | Registered: Oct 2000
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Marnie
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 773
posted
Wonderful reply by Pat Smith.
For years...we have really known very little about Bb.
But then long came genetic research. This is RECENT, guys and gals! We are making TREMENDOUS strides.
Now we know EXACTLY what Bb is "after"/needs to survive, the paths it takes, etc. and we can BEGIN to figure out the ways (plural) to stop it.
This disease is being "triaged". No it is not fair,or right, but is the reality.
Lyme does not kill fast like the pathogens that cause botulism or cholera nor do we THINK it is a STD. So it is on the "back burner".
Lyme can SLOWLY progress to other "diseases" like RA, diabetes, Alzheimers, Parkinson's, MS, cancer...and THEN we treat those...or try to.
Bb is not the ONLY pathogen capable of triggering the above diseases.
Salmonella also uses the SALP15 protein to lock on and do DNA damage.
Like us...many pathogens are "sugar lovers" too. This is WHY figuring out how to INactivate PFK is so vital.
We WILL figure out a way to "outsmart" the pathogens...bacteria, viral and fungal. And we WILL be able someday to target them very specifically, keeping uninfected cells healthy.
Edited here: my focus is to PREVENT others from reaching the point where Bill found himself...without hope.
We WILL FIND A WAY! Do NOT give up. EVER.
[ 10. March 2007, 01:52 PM: Message edited by: Marnie ]
Posts: 9426 | From Sunshine State | Registered: Mar 2001
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posted
At this sad time, my thoughts and prayers are focused on Bill's wife and son. I hope that Bill is at peace, and I sincerely hope that eventually, with the help and support of those around them, his family will come to terms with Bill's death.
nannie
Posts: 183 | From US | Registered: Feb 2004
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Foggy
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 1584
posted
Very sad. Maine was also the scene of my Lyme crime.
Posts: 2451 | From Lyme Central | Registered: Aug 2001
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Everyone, step up your efforts to tell people about the disabling and fatal TBDs. I am probably reaching dozens a day in San Francisco, since I am asking those I give my info to to tell others too...
I have a question: I read somewhere that biting flies in Maine may have transmitted Lyme disease? Anyone else hear this?
Posts: 13117 | From San Francisco | Registered: May 2006
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