Al Amorao Memorial Scholarship Fund
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My name is Lisa Amorao. On September 2016 I will attempt to swim across Monterey Bay from Santa Cruz to Pacific Grove.
The purpose of my swim is to preserve the legacy left behind by the late Al Amorao -- by raising scholarship funds to encourage Central Coast youth to pursue a degree in Microbiology, infusing new talent into the field of Valley Fever Research.
Who was Al Amorao?
Al Amorao was my children's grandfather, my father-in-law from my former marriage.
To farmers up and down the California coast, Al was a beloved figure. A plant breeder for Driscoll Strawberries, he helped farmers make a productive living with the strawberry crop.
He started out in the farming community of Watsonville and eventually made his way to Oxnard. At Al's memorial, his colleagues credited him for turning the strawberry into Ventura County's #1 crop.
Below: Al, proudly watching his grandson, David, taste-test a berry.
He worked closely with the soil and spent a lot of time in the fields.
A legacy cut short
In November of 2007, Al came down with flu-like symptoms that didn’t quite go away. He was put on at least two different courses of antibiotics to treat what doctors thought was pneumonia. He was tested for tuberculosis, for HIV, and he was examined for a few types of cancer. He was finally tested for Valley Fever in March, but by the time his diagnosis came and he was put on antifungal meds, the infection had already spread to his brain. He died before the month was over.
What is Valley Fever?
Coccidioidomycosis -- or Valley Fever -- is a lung infection caused by the inhalation of fungal spores found in California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, and New Mexico. These fungal spores become airborne during dust storms and when the soil is disrupted.
It was nicknamed "Valley Fever" after the endemic area of San Joaquin Valley, where the soil is constantly disrupted by construction and farming, sending spores airborne.
It takes just one breath to inhale the spore that causes Coccidioidomycosis. There is no way to tell if you have the spore in your lungs until you are sick.
Because of the predominance of agricultural occupations in Monterey Bay and the rest of the Central Coast, it is not surprising that this little-known infection is causing growing concern among public health officials.
The number of reported cases in California is rising, with more than 4,000 cases in 2012 alone. And because Valley Fever is commonly misdiagnosed as other respiratory conditions, experts estimate that the actual number of cases is much higher.
While Valley Fever can be easily treated with antifungal medication, what happened to our family is an unfortunate illustration of the challenges facing those who come down with the infection. Despite being treated in a world-class facility in Southern California, none of the doctors that treated Al had heard of Coccidioidomycosis, let alone make the connection that Al was at high-risk for the infection because of what he did for a living.
Raising awareness and funds for a disease most Americans have never heard of will take great effort and perseverance, which is why I chose Monterey Bay to symbolize the challenge.
The swim
At 24 miles and with significant portions of the route going over the Monterey Submarine Canyon, a Trans-Monterey Bay crossing is considered to be one of the most difficult swims in the world. The water is cold to begin with (high 50's at the start), and with the upwelling in the canyon, water temperatures drop several degrees further. Hypothermia and jellyfish stings (the toxins of which can accelerate the effects of hypothermia), are common causes of failed attempts in Monterey Bay.
The number of successful Trans-Monterey Bay unassisted crossings to date is three, and by super accomplished channel swimmers: Cindy Cleveland (1980), Patti Bauernfeind (2014), and Kim Rutherford (2014). (Special note: Bruckner Chase completed the swim in 2010 wearing a protective suit).
My goal is to be the fourth human being to swim across unassisted and in strict adherence to marathon swimming rules, and to be the first to do it breaststroking. Experts estimate that it will take me at least 24 hours of swimming to accomplish my goal.
Between now and the time I leave dry land for my swim in September 2016, cold water training will be crucial to surviving the slow swim without a wetsuit. I have to build up the endurance and mental fortitude to swim for at least 24 hours, all day and all night, until I get to Pacific Grove. Wildlife -- jellyfish, sharks, among others -- could cut the effort short and without warning.
This goal is much greater than myself, which is why I’m counting on the community’s support. I am looking to raise an ambitious sum -- $20,000 -- with net proceeds going to the Al Amorao Memorial Scholarship Fund.
Challenges facing Valley Fever Research
One of the biggest issues facing Valley Fever research is that there are currently only a handful of scientists actively working on a vaccine to prevent it, and all of them are nearing retirement.
Even the ambitious sum I intend to raise with my swim will be just a drop in a big empty bucket symbolizing the funds needed ($40 million! )to develop a vaccine, take it to clinical trials, and get it approved by the FDA.
What would Al do? Plant and grow talent!
The money I will be raising will go much further as a scholarship fund to help a deserving student from the Central Coast achieve a degree in Microbiology, planting a seed of new talent into Valley Fever research.
The Al Amorao Memorial Scholarship Fund
The vision: to create a new generation of researchers who will carry out the work of Valley Fever pioneers in improving the testing capabilities of hospitals so that cocci can be readily identified and treated, and ultimately, develop a vaccine to prevent it.
Thank you for allowing me to share my family’s story and for the opportunity to preserve Al’s legacy of helping others in the Central Coast.
With your donation, we can make a huge difference in fighting cocci.
Please click “Donate Now” to contribute to this cause.
The purpose of my swim is to preserve the legacy left behind by the late Al Amorao -- by raising scholarship funds to encourage Central Coast youth to pursue a degree in Microbiology, infusing new talent into the field of Valley Fever Research.
Who was Al Amorao?
Al Amorao was my children's grandfather, my father-in-law from my former marriage.
To farmers up and down the California coast, Al was a beloved figure. A plant breeder for Driscoll Strawberries, he helped farmers make a productive living with the strawberry crop.
He started out in the farming community of Watsonville and eventually made his way to Oxnard. At Al's memorial, his colleagues credited him for turning the strawberry into Ventura County's #1 crop.
Below: Al, proudly watching his grandson, David, taste-test a berry.
He worked closely with the soil and spent a lot of time in the fields.
A legacy cut short
In November of 2007, Al came down with flu-like symptoms that didn’t quite go away. He was put on at least two different courses of antibiotics to treat what doctors thought was pneumonia. He was tested for tuberculosis, for HIV, and he was examined for a few types of cancer. He was finally tested for Valley Fever in March, but by the time his diagnosis came and he was put on antifungal meds, the infection had already spread to his brain. He died before the month was over.
What is Valley Fever?
Coccidioidomycosis -- or Valley Fever -- is a lung infection caused by the inhalation of fungal spores found in California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, and New Mexico. These fungal spores become airborne during dust storms and when the soil is disrupted.
It was nicknamed "Valley Fever" after the endemic area of San Joaquin Valley, where the soil is constantly disrupted by construction and farming, sending spores airborne.
It takes just one breath to inhale the spore that causes Coccidioidomycosis. There is no way to tell if you have the spore in your lungs until you are sick.
Because of the predominance of agricultural occupations in Monterey Bay and the rest of the Central Coast, it is not surprising that this little-known infection is causing growing concern among public health officials.
The number of reported cases in California is rising, with more than 4,000 cases in 2012 alone. And because Valley Fever is commonly misdiagnosed as other respiratory conditions, experts estimate that the actual number of cases is much higher.
While Valley Fever can be easily treated with antifungal medication, what happened to our family is an unfortunate illustration of the challenges facing those who come down with the infection. Despite being treated in a world-class facility in Southern California, none of the doctors that treated Al had heard of Coccidioidomycosis, let alone make the connection that Al was at high-risk for the infection because of what he did for a living.
Raising awareness and funds for a disease most Americans have never heard of will take great effort and perseverance, which is why I chose Monterey Bay to symbolize the challenge.
The swim
At 24 miles and with significant portions of the route going over the Monterey Submarine Canyon, a Trans-Monterey Bay crossing is considered to be one of the most difficult swims in the world. The water is cold to begin with (high 50's at the start), and with the upwelling in the canyon, water temperatures drop several degrees further. Hypothermia and jellyfish stings (the toxins of which can accelerate the effects of hypothermia), are common causes of failed attempts in Monterey Bay.
The number of successful Trans-Monterey Bay unassisted crossings to date is three, and by super accomplished channel swimmers: Cindy Cleveland (1980), Patti Bauernfeind (2014), and Kim Rutherford (2014). (Special note: Bruckner Chase completed the swim in 2010 wearing a protective suit).
My goal is to be the fourth human being to swim across unassisted and in strict adherence to marathon swimming rules, and to be the first to do it breaststroking. Experts estimate that it will take me at least 24 hours of swimming to accomplish my goal.
Between now and the time I leave dry land for my swim in September 2016, cold water training will be crucial to surviving the slow swim without a wetsuit. I have to build up the endurance and mental fortitude to swim for at least 24 hours, all day and all night, until I get to Pacific Grove. Wildlife -- jellyfish, sharks, among others -- could cut the effort short and without warning.
This goal is much greater than myself, which is why I’m counting on the community’s support. I am looking to raise an ambitious sum -- $20,000 -- with net proceeds going to the Al Amorao Memorial Scholarship Fund.
Challenges facing Valley Fever Research
One of the biggest issues facing Valley Fever research is that there are currently only a handful of scientists actively working on a vaccine to prevent it, and all of them are nearing retirement.
Even the ambitious sum I intend to raise with my swim will be just a drop in a big empty bucket symbolizing the funds needed ($40 million! )to develop a vaccine, take it to clinical trials, and get it approved by the FDA.
What would Al do? Plant and grow talent!
The money I will be raising will go much further as a scholarship fund to help a deserving student from the Central Coast achieve a degree in Microbiology, planting a seed of new talent into Valley Fever research.
The Al Amorao Memorial Scholarship Fund
The vision: to create a new generation of researchers who will carry out the work of Valley Fever pioneers in improving the testing capabilities of hospitals so that cocci can be readily identified and treated, and ultimately, develop a vaccine to prevent it.
Thank you for allowing me to share my family’s story and for the opportunity to preserve Al’s legacy of helping others in the Central Coast.
With your donation, we can make a huge difference in fighting cocci.
Please click “Donate Now” to contribute to this cause.
Organizer
Lisa Amorao
Organizer
San Jose, CA
