Briefing - March, '01

"Spots," by Anna E. Hess

I'm very pleased to republish at FlakeHQ, by permission, the marvelous essay "Spots," which debuted in the November/December 2000 edition of the National Psoriasis Foundation Bulletin. "Spots" is a permanent fixture, now, on the Articles page here.

I pursued this privilege because, not only is Anna's story of interest to all of us, but it's a finely crafted piece of prose which, by being posted here, makes us all look better! Whether or not you read "Spots" in the Bulletin, it's worth reading here.  My thanks to NPF, and to Anna for allowing us to give "Spots" a permanent home (or, at least, another permanent home).  With a little luck <hint hint> we'll be reading more from Anna E. Hess at FlakeHQ.

Soap Lake Conservancy

The folks up in Soap Lake, Washington are beginning to make bigger splashes. Check out The Soap Lake Conservancy web site at www.thelake.org.  (This site is added to "other places" here at FlakeHQ this month.)

Soap Lake has long been considered a potential climatotherapy resource for flakers.  (See "Soap Lake," and "What About Soap Lake?" in the FlakeHQ archives.)  Back in the middle of February I received this email:

Ed: I am a trustee of the Soap Lake Conservancy.... The Soap Lake Conservancy is working to prevent the pollution and dilution of Soap Lake, which does have the ability to reduce the flare-ups from psoriasis and other skin conditions. In fact, Soap Lake is well known for the treatment of Buerger's disease which, when at its worse, causes gangrene.

The Soap Lake Conservancy is about a year and 75 local paid members stong and growing. In about a week we will be launching a major website that covers everything from scientific research on the lake to tourist activities. Soap Lake's a little quiet and run down right now. We are working with the Hospital District and the County to reorient the city into a health spa community.

McKay Hospital is very interested in hearing from individuals who have experienced relief from skin diseases, i.e., condition and severity at time of use of Soap Lake minerals or mud. Next week people can go to www.thelake.org and can email us.

I don't know what your website mission is, but if you would be interested in working with our Medical and Therapeutic Committee or on any other project, we are trying to extend our membership nationally.

Give us a look and tell me what you think. -Carl Highland

One more reason why yours truly is going to have to go to Soap Lake.  After Linda L.'s report ("Soap Lake") last September, I started to get the itch (no pun intended) and now I'm definitely putting this spot on my get there list.  

Check out their site (which is still under construction but impressive already). I'd love to see two things happen:  One, I'd love to see an impressive body of evidence that a Soap Lake therapy is effective for flakers; and two, I'd love to see an organized approach to experiencing that therapy.  Visitors to the Dead Sea for P therapy undergo a guided regimen administered by a bevy of health care providers.  Linda L.'s report described how she was left pretty much up to her own devices at Soap Lake.  To me this means we need to go and experiment and invent the spa regimen ourselves. I love a good project ... don't you? -Ed

Ed's New Editorial Assistant

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