Call for Support for Mary Heiny Sensei's Hip Surgery

Posted 2008-03-21 11:03:41 by Jun Akiyama
News URL: http://www.friendsofmaryheiny.org/

From their website: "Mary [Heiny sensei]'s ability to teach aikido is at risk. After surviving polio as a child, and after years of hard aikido training in Japan in her twenties, she is suffering from severe and painful arthritis in her left hip and needs to undergo hip replacement surgery. Without this surgery, not only will she be forced to give up teaching aikido but will also be severely disabled in daily life."

"Our goal is to raise $30,000 by May 31st. Ambitious? Not really, not if we all pitch in. Please contribute. Please make a difference."

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I'm supporting Mary Heiny in this change in her life. As a fellow budo teacher I'm facing the same thing in the near future. I know what it's like to face this sort of event and be concerned about financial stuff. I have many connections with long-time budoka that have had hip replacement or resurfacing procedures and have yet to hear from anyone that wasn't happy with the results. Everyone says to be sure and do the work both before and after the surgery to get in the best shape possible and do all the rehab required.

Best of luck to Mary...

I urge everyone to please give ANYTHING you can to help Mary Heiny sensei through this difficult time.

What an awesome treasure to the Aikido community she truly is. I have had the opportunity to be her uke many times, travel with her to Japan, and spend time hearing her wonderful stories. And her laugh! That wonderful laugh.

I will be at the first seminar she teaches upon her full recovery, I don't even care where it's at!

Please support Heiny sensei. I did.

Much love Mary.

You would also be welcome to come train and support Sensei here.

Two Cranes Aikido
8512 20th Ave NE,
Seattle, WA 98115
206.523.5503

twocranesaikido.com

Fundraiser for Mary Heiny Sensei
Nidan Demonstrations
with
Joanne Veneziano Sensei, 6th dan & Kimberly Richardson Sensei, 6th dan

Saturday April 26, 2008

10:00 -11:30am & 2:30 -4:00pm

Nidan Demonstrations at 11:30 am

Candidates
Jen Stoakes
Scott Blaufeux
Jessica Levin

Suggested donation: $50 and up
All proceeds go to Mary Heiny who is preparing for a hip replacement.

Hey Mark,

I wish I could go to that. I'll be in Chicago for the USAF yudansha seminar with Yamada sensei and Waite sensei.

I hope everyone has a good time and that more donations are received.

I mailed my donation in just a couple of hours ago!

Sorry again that I can't make this one.

What about doing a clinic featuring all aikido disciplines with 100% of the proceeds going directly to the cause. We could run it similar to the OSU Festival that Sam Combes Sensei of the Yoshinkai presented for many many years. Featured instructors would donate their time and energy.

Just a thought!

Just curious, does she not have health insurance? My insurance paid for the procedure 100%.

I had to have my right hip replaced this July past. It was the wisest thing I could do to keep living the lifestyle I've chosen and keep studying budo.

If she needs to talk to someone else in budo who's relatively young (51) with similar after-market parts, she can get in touch with me. Be glad to share info, etc.

Chuck Gordon wrote: Just curious, does she not have health insurance? My insurance paid for the procedure 100%.

Hello Chuck,

I extracted the following paragraph from website: http://www.friendsofmaryheiny.org/

"Heiny Sensei's situation is difficult at best. She, as you may know, has led a non-traditional life (see attached bio for more details). Her career as an independent teacher of Aikido has never earned her more than a modest living and she is not eligible for the highly subsidized employment-based health insurance that gives many of us peace of mind. Although she has recently obtained minimal health insurance through the State of Washington, it is not all clear if that policy will cover a hip replacement, or how soon; the policy has a nine month waiting period for pre-existing conditions and hip replacements are not automatically covered. Heiny Sensei is currently struggling with a large and indifferent bureaucracy trying to obtain answers."

It also mentioned that she is considering going to Thailand to have the work done.