Adventure of the Heart
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A 20-year-old Prince George woman, married with one child, today is on the threshold of an adventure v/iich could bring her back to real life.
Frail but surprisingly happy, Mrs. Frank Bencher, 750 Harper Street, is the victim of a heart condition which the top specialists in Canada cannot diagnose.
Everything doctors tried to do for her came to an impasse until this week* end when, the situation looking bleaker than ever, the Prince George Service Club Council rounded up $800 to send tier to the famed Mayo Clinic at Rochester. Mass.
Mrs. Bencher has already packed for the air trip to the clinic, the practising centre for the best medical minds on the continent.
And she is taking with her a heart which is so tired and feeble that no one knows for sure how long it will keep pumping.
What is going to happen to her? That is the BIG question. "But I'm not worried at all," Airs. Bencher confided.
The chain of events started last July on a downtown street when she was almost struck by a car.
She was shopping with her mother-in-law and was crossing an intersection when an automobile would have collided with her if her mother-in-law had not pulled her out of the way.
Mrs. Bencher has noticed for about three years that she was becoming more tired and had remarked of the condition to a few close relatives.
After she had brushed with the accident, an appointment was made for her with a local doctor. Mrs. Bencher saw him on July 23.
The doctor, using every test available in Prince George, could only come to one significant conclusion: his patient was in a condition of heart failure which was deteriorating rapidly.
Examination after examination, test after test, could prove absolutely nothing which doctors consider proper grounds for surgery. (Heart surgery is not undertaken unless an accurate diagnosis has been made and a definite plan established.)
}]qv doctor recommended she go to Vancouver for further investigative treatments. Mrs. Bencher was in the Vancouver General Hospital from October 16 to December 16 undergoing diagnosis. However, the doctors could come up with nothing conclusive.
The family has been desperately trying to scrape enough money together to send her to Mayo but they simply haven't been able to do it while trying to rescue a business which they operate from bankruptcy.
Finally, last week her doctor described the situation to officials of the Prince George Kiwanis Club in the hope that either the club would have the money   or it would organize a drive.
The Kiwanis Club was set to carry out a drive and president Dick Bond along with Alex MacGregor and Clare Watts came to The Citizen Friday afternoon to seek the newspaper's assistance.
The Citizen guaranteed editorial support but in tne meantime a reporter visited Mrs. Bencher's doctor to obtain details of the case.
He met Alderman Harry Loder later in the afternoon and mentioned the situation in a conversation. Before noon Saturday, Mr. Loder and Clare Foster, president of the Joint Service Club Council, had obtained S800 for the emergency from member organizations.'
Mr. Foster said the Council will sponsor a special giant bingo game if that would be the only way to meet the expenditure.
Mrs. Bencher's husband played commercial hockey with the league champion Giscome team this season and last summer played both baseball and soft-ball.
She is an aunt to Cindy Lou MacLane, the two-year-old girl who disappeared mysteriously at Willow River last September.
If Mrs. Bencher leaves Tuesday afternoon, she will arrive at Mayo Wednesday morning. There is no indication what will happen to her at the clinic or how long she will have to stay there.
The Service Club Council has purchased " the air ticket and she will be provided with some cash. She will be met at Edmonton, St. Paul's and Rochester, Mass., by members of Rotary International.
Arrangements for her to be met by Ro-tarians were made by the local Rotary club.
Dedicated to the Progress of The North
MRS. FRANK BENCHER
Vol.  3:   No.  75
PRINCE GEORGE, BRITISH COLUMBIA, MONDAY, APRIL 20,  1959
Phone LO 4-2441
Chosen
Six candidates were named today to compete for the coveted crown of Aurora 11, Queen of the Evergreens.
Sandra llol'f, Bente Jeppe.son, Dorothy Proppe, I.cola Reimer, Karen Strum and .Jili Swart will be judged in the coming wi.\ weeks for the title.
ThG contest ami crowning is sponsored by the Prince George Rotary Club and Rotary-Annes. It Will be climaxed with crowning ceremonies on .July 17 at Fort George Park.
Tliey  will  be judged  by ;m anonymous   p.im 1   which   has been  chosen   from �>ll aspects ol  ili.- community. The Queen will be chosen for her outstanding deportment, appearance,  voice and manner of speech;
Until the winner is chosen, the girls will undergo a judging schedule which will see them appear at a tea, luncheon and speak aver the radio.
They will be invited to the Queen's Tea on .May 20, speak at a service club luncheon on May 22 and give a radio address  on  May 21.
'The winner will lie named June 5 at awards day ceremonies at the Senior High School.
The new Aurora Queen :tn