Firefighter Challenge®: My week with Jeanie (and Cheri)

Monday, July 7, 2014

My week with Jeanie (and Cheri)

Debbie Davis and Jeanie Allen at P.J. Clarke’s in DC on the 4th

If you’re new to the Challenge, you might not have yet had the privilege of meeting the Swamp Taters, the tandem team composed of Jeanie Allen and Cheri Ardoin. Jeanie is battling clear cell sarcoma, a lethal form of cancer that seemingly strikes physically fit people.

She’s now part of a clinical trial at NIH (the medical Mecca of the world, the National Institutes of Health) in Bethesda, Maryland. While this is a hump for Jeanie from her home state of Idaho, it’s a pretty short car ride from our house. And for this, we are truly thankful to be her concierge. The protocol is rigorous; Jeanie was on an I.V. Pump for the better part of a week. She named the device “George.”

When Cheri showed up, the whole mood in the SW Wing moved up a few beats because no one can be around Cheri and not be happy- or amused.

So, the two of them conspired to produce a video of the day in the life of Jeanie, trapped in the secure campus (and I do mean secure) of NIH.

So, check it out.

http://youtu.be/wx3RGAiYeJw

You’ll be glad you did. (The sound track is copyrighted, which may explain why the video will not play on some smart devices; view it through your browser.)

We got a special treat from the manager of P.J. Clarke’s at the corner of 16th and K streets on the Fourth. He treated us to a roof-top view of the fireworks on the mall.

All-in-all a great 4th of July with good food and wonderful friends.

1 comment:

Unknown said...: It is hard to be so far from home, especially going through the discomfort and uncertainty of the medical treatments. It was so wonderful to have you as friends nearby, to escape the doldrum of the Hospital, bring me goodies I didn't know I would need and appreciate, invite me into your beautiful home, chauffer me around, (at Mock speed!, have gobs of patience to get through the security rigamarole of NIH visitation, and take me out for one of my best 4th of July's ever! You and the FFCC team and family are truly the best EVER!; July 30, 2014 at 8:49 AM

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Dr. Paul O. Davis, Ph.D., FACSM

Dr. Paul earned his doctoral degree from the University of Maryland, School of Public Health, Department of Kinesiology where he placed major emphasis on the study of occupational fitness requirements and the quantification of work physiology. His dissertation on the energy costs and oxygen/lactate kinetics of structural firefighting was the first published study of its kind.

He has consulted for a number of law enforcement

organizations, including the NYPD, DEA, US Secret Service, Pennsylvania State Police, US Marshals Service, IACP and the FBI. Projects of note have included the development of job-related physical performance and medical standards for a number of law enforcement agencies. Dr. Davis has also conducted in-depth studies of the requirements for SWAT, K-9, and industrial security positions. Most recently under contract to FOH (Federal Occupational Health) he designed the entry and graduation criteria for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), IEAs (Immigration Enforcement Agents); the largest-ever hiring initiative (n=5,000). In another FOH contract he was part of an elite team tasked with a year-long embed study in the Southwest for the US Border Patrol to mitigate workers comp injuries.

As a consultant to the US Navy, he validated the Marine Corps’ PT test through a comprehensive JTA (job task

analysis) of essential functions in amphibious, jungle, desert and high altitude, cold weather operations.

An internationally recognized authority on the subject of

fitness standards and equal employment opportunity issues, Dr. Davis has participated in over 70 legal proceedings as an expert witness. In the seminal Lanning v SEPTA case, he won the accolades of the presiding federal judge as “the

preeminent expert on physical performance standards.” He has appeared on behalf of such organizations as the U.S. Department of Justice, OSHA, Equal Employment

Opportunity Commission, and the FBI, as well as many other state and local governments. He has also testified before the House Select Committee on Aging regarding performance-based health and fitness assessment and submitted invited testimony on Women in Ground Combat for the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Dr. Davis is a member and fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and holds that organization’s highest level of certification. He has authored over 200 technical reports, manuals, articles and most recently co-authored with Dr. Bryan Sharkey the book: Hard Work, dealing with his research on the relationship between human physical performance factors and health.

His professional accomplishments were recognized with a Governor’s Citation for the State of Maryland. He is a inductee of the Fire Heritage Hall of Leaders, Legends and Legacies.Consistent with his lifelong commitment to promoting first responder health, fitness, and readiness, Dr. Davis is well known for creating unique public safety competitions including: the Firefighter Combat Challenge® (now in its 32nd season), the L.E.O.P.A.R.D. (Law Enforcement Officer Performance and

Reaction Drill), the World SWAT Challenge, the Army's Best Ranger Competition and the newly recreated Military Battle Challenge®. Throughout the years, these programs have

received very wide televised coverage on the ESPN, Discovery, A&E, CBS, NBC and ABC television networks and, as the creator and expert commentator, Dr. Davis provides color

commentary.