Have A Heart, Give to A Heart: Alfred Arteaga Needs Us Now!

I just received this note from Chicano poet, professor & critical theorist, Alfred Arteaga, or rather, from his daughter. He needs us now -- to raise $50,000 to pay for treatment that may save his life. We need Alfred Arteaga in this life. Please, give what you can and find creative ways to raise more. At one point there was a plan to have various people record some of his poems for a cd to sell -- but he needs us now. His treatment can not wait. He needs a new heart, and is looking to a new procedure to grow his own stem cells to help his heart. They have scheduled the surgery for June. Please read the message below and do what you can, and spread the word. Alfred is a dear heart and a much-loved poet and cultural critic.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From: corazon@alfredarteaga.com
Subject: Alfred Arteaga in need
Date: May 1, 2006 3:12:51 PM MDT
To: PoetDee AT mac.com

Dear Lorna,

My name is Xóchitl Arteaga, and together with my sisters Marisol and Mireya,
we write to ask you for assistance with our father, Alfred Arteaga, who is
in need due to failing health.
In 1999 our father suffered a massive heart attack and spent six weeks in a
coma. He survived but spent a year in recovery, learning to walk again. He
improved greatly and went back to full time teaching at Berkeley. Then in
2005 he suffered a second heart attact and has been in and out of the
hospital. He continues to teach full time but is in need of treatment,
perhaps a heart transplant. We are looking for alternative treatments.
There is a new program of stem cell treatment that is successful in cases
like his. By cultivating his own stem cells, doctors can now infuse the
heart to create new and stronger muscle. His American cardiologists are
supportive.
The most effective procedure of this kind was developed by a US
cardiologist and is done by US doctors in Thailand. This is because US
hospitals are in trials now, as the procedure is not yet FDA approved. We
cannot wait years for the approval process to run its course. We have
scheduled his stem cell operation for June 2006, and we are doing everything
in our power to fund our father's treatment.
Please help us by donating money to this cause. We need to raise $50,000 for
the procedure, follow-up treatment and associated expenses. We hope you will
help us.

Thank you

Xóchitl, Marisol, Mireya Arteaga


Please feel free to contact us: corazon@alfredarteaga.com
Or contact our father directly: aa@alfredarteaga.com

For more information, links, and an explanation about giving, go to:
http://www.alfredarteaga.com/pageone alt.html

If you wish to donate now, you can mail a check directly to him:

Alfred Arteaga
11 Perry Avenue
Menlo Park, CA 94025

Or you may make an electronic donaton via paypal by going to following e
address: http://corazon.mollyguard.com/