THE INSPIRATION OF ANGELA

Angela Lovelace is a 24-year old young woman from Greenwood Arkansas who was born with Down Syndrome (DS).  DS is a genetic condition affecting roughly one in one-thousand people (according to the CDC).  The genetic anomaly characterizing the condition is referred to as trisomy meaning that DS individuals possess an extra chromosome (chromosome 21), which typically results in severe mental retardation and often a proneness to ill health, numerous challenges/limitations and shorter lifespans.

 

As a personal aside here, my own brother Paul was born with this very same condition and he struggled through the years with numerous health-related issues, cognitive development and his capacity to communicate in any meaningful way with others was always severely limited – all commonly endemic to this condition.  Tragically, Paul just passed away at 5:21 PM CST on May 26, 2013 from the complications surrounding his own struggle with cancer and (foremost), its conventional treatments.  He understood little of what was actually happening to him.  He was an innocent – always sweet, affectionate, loving and gentle.  He enjoyed attention and could be very funny (he was a bit of a ham, in fact).  He suffered greatly from torturous treatments but his spirits remained high in spite of his circumstances – something we can all learn a lot from.  He had become a ward of the state of Minnesota so none of my family really had any say in his treatment approach.

 

In most places in our modern industrialized world, cancer has the distinction of being either the #1 or #2 primary cause of death.  We can expect these numbers to rise in the years to come.  In fact, the #1 source of pharmacologic profitability in the medical industry lies in cancer treatment.  We are all vulnerable to this and (as a matter of fact) a great many, many other things.  The fact is that most of us just sit around waiting for a bad diagnosis before we ever bother to take control of our health.  Too often, we wait until the pain of the problem (i.e., diet and lifestyle) exceeds the pain of the solution.  All too often, by then it’s too late.

 

Angela, on the other hand, did what most people never bother to do.  She rather remarkably took charge of her own health and in doing so has exceeded many of her own limitations and has since inspired innumerable others.

 

Angela too was once similarly limited in her capacity to communicate with others. And while constantly craving unhealthy foods (lots of sugar and starch), she suffered significant weight and mood issues, particularly once she hit puberty.  At under 5 feet tall, Angela weighed 149 lbs. She said: “all I enjoyed in life was eating, watching TV, listening to music and coloring…and I didn’t feel good about myself and I wasn’t very happy.”  Her sister, Brianna said: “to us as her siblings she was more of a hassle than a sister because we always had to keep an eye on her and make sure she was, you know, not getting into stuff.  She had a habit of wandering off sometimes.  She did act shy around people, but I think she only acted like that because she couldn’t communicate with people.”  Her mother, Trish, said: “She was just in a shell.  Before all she wanted to do was watch TV and eat and now she was out running where before I couldn’t get her to walk!”  Within a few months after implementing her original dietary plan, Angela lost 57 pounds and her self-esteem, mental abilities and self-confidence really began to improve.

 

But after a while the Lovelaces found that Angela’s improvement was beginning to slow down. They knew they needed to learn more but they didn’t know where to look. They studied a lot, but like so many others nowadays found that they were only becoming more confused. It was then that they were fortunate enough to be introduced to a gentlemen who was able to change all of that for Angela…a man named Jim Dooley – now the Executive Director for what has become (at Angela’s own insistence) the New Angela Foundation.  The Foundation strives to provide healthy support to those in need through education and other forms of help.  Working with Angela’s parents, Jim started Angela out on a cleansing approach which yielded some renewed promising results.  He then helped Angela (and other family members) implement a healthy dietary approach as outlined in the book ‘Primal Body, Primal Mind‘.  Angela proceeded to blossom as never before.

 

Together, with a number of supportive supplements, Angela was rapidly transformed into what can only be described as a “new” person – free of many of the former seeming limitations of her condition and a decidedly active force for good in the world.  Her dad, Steve described the transformation in this way: “The best way I can describe it – it’s like she was in a coma, and she came out of a coma.”  Mom said of Angela’s remarkable cognitive transformation: “There’s no more of that frustration.  She can literally carry on a conversation with somebody, understand what they’re saying and respond…whereas before she couldn’t.”  Her sister Brianna says: “She can actually connect.”  Angela herself says: “I can do stuff, whatever I want to by myself.”

 

 

She remarkably went on to accomplish what some experts said was likely impossible:  Angela (through her own passionate determination and mom’s help) actually learned to read and write.  Angela became enrolled in a literacy program called “Literary Council of Western Arkansas,” one of the few students with Down syndrome known to achieve this kind of success.  Today, she actually even has a laptop computer and Facebook account.  Mom said: “Her teacher is astounded at her progression.”  As a matter of fact his words were: “out of the twenty years I’ve been doing this, Angela is far exceeded and excelled of any student I’ve ever had.”  Mom went on to say: “It’s like she’s a normal teenager now.”

 

A pretty extraordinary teenager if you ask me…

 

Angela emerged from her long, coma-like “slumber” filled with a zest for life and a passion to actually make a difference in the lives of others.  She actually even coached other people for a while on how to make healthy changes in their own lives (37 people thus far). No lie.  This is one remarkable young woman.  Indeed, she has made it her mission to inspire others and she even speaks publicly.

 

Mom says, “A parent can’t be any prouder to know that their child is inspiring and helping so many other people to have hope…where they didn’t think they had hope.”

 

Angela says: “If I can do it, anybody can do this.”

 

Patrick Greenlaw, the reknowned former head anchorman for CNN described her transformation as “One of the Most Compelling Stories of the 21st Century!”

Jim Dooley contacted me because he wanted me to know Angela was launching her new non-profit Foundation and website and that it was, in fact, my work that was largely responsible for the protocols he used to help transform Angela into the phenomenon she is today.  Jim had taken many of the principles outlined in my book and added other varied detoxification and supplement-based elements to it that he now refers to as “The Fresh Start Program.”  Angela’s Foundation (and those who generously donate to it) now seeks to help others similarly challenged, and is providing hope to many others who may not have realized so much hope was possible.

 

I will admit to being tongue-tied and a bit verklempt when Jim contacted me and I learned of her story.  I did not personally/directly participate in her transformation but am heartened to see many of the fruits of my own hard work and decades of research manifest in such an extraordinary way – and in such an extraordinary person.  Jim talks with Angela and her family daily and Jim and I have become fast friends.

 

He recently said to me:

“Just so you know (Nora), it was your work primarily that I used in Angela’s protocols and you have my permission to say it.”  ~Jim Dooley, Executive Director of the New Angela Foundation.

 

WOW.

What an honor.

 

I have spoken personally with Angela and have been struck by her bright light, her irrepressible persona and her contagious determination.  She is truly a remarkable young woman that I am honored to know.

 

A reporter in her video (which I strongly recommend viewing) speculated as to what might be possible for the rest of us if Angela could accomplish so much from just a few dietary changes.

Indeed.

 

I am personally (somewhat hauntingly) left to wonder what, in fact, might have been possible for my very own brother.  I can’t help but wonder whether Paul might even still be here and alive today if he “knew” what Angela knows. Sadly, sometimes it really is just too late. That said it is still not too late for SO many others!

 

You can read more about the methods Jim used to help Angela overcome so many of the limitations of Down syndrome here at:  www.newangelafoundation.com.  Membership is free.

 

Thank you, Angela. 

 

And you can watch her not-to-be missed video here:

     Link:  http://www.newangelafoundation.com/content/angela-lovelace-story


~ Nora