Valentine Group Health
Mr. Clark Natali-retired Insurance Executive and Real Estate Developer
Mrs. Anita McGinn Natali-Artist, wife, mother, care giver, and advisor, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Philadelphia, PA, Volunteer, National Oral Cancer Foundation
Background:
Clark Natali has lived in the Media, PA area for 35 years and he and Anita have been married since 1998 after they met at a single’s evening in 1993. This was a whirlwind, but steady romance as they met on July 1st, had lunch on July 2nd, and dinner on July 6th after Clark returned from the shore for a week-end get away. And they were off and running! A sparkling couple with a fun filled life, they had the world by the tail, until a trip to the dentist in 2005 changed their world.
We will meet a couple who will give us 3 key lessons in:
- How to live with a devastating diagnosis
- How to manage emotions in the face of fear and uncertainty
- How to use hope, friendship and their relationship to stabilize the course of a long term recovery
Clark is a husband, stepfather, grandfather, retired insurance professional, real estate investor and avid golfer. He attended Los Angeles City College, Saint Joseph’s University and was in the US Coast Guard. His business acumen and creative vision lead him to design and build custom homes, develop two multi-unit apartment complexes on historic properties, while owning and managing a successful insurance business.
When Clark met Anita, he considered himself a confirmed bachelor. As their relationship grew, he was determined to win her heart, as well as the affection of her sons. Skiing vacations that Anita and Clark took together, later became family adventures including Anita’s boys. Clark and Anita have since replaced skis for golf clubs and enjoy spending time together on the course perfecting their game. They continue to travel but focus on warm locations.
Oral cancer and the effects of radiation have presented numerous challenges for Clark, but his positive attitude and calm demeanor have guided him through difficult times. He is thankful that Anita was with him throughout his illness and feels certain he could not have done this without her.
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Anita is a wife, mother, grandmother, and a professionally trained Fine Art Painter, with a BFA from Temple University’s Tyler School of Art. She was a single Mom to two teenage sons working as an Art Director when she met Clark Natali in 1993. Five years later, in 1998, Anita and Clark married on a gorgeous October day surrounded by their family and friends.
Throughout their relationship, Anita and Clark enjoyed skiing, traveling, boating, golfing, and spending summers at the shore. In 2003, Anita retired from pharmaceutical advertising to pursue painting full time.
In 2007, when Clark was diagnosed with oral cancer, Anita became her husband’s caregiver, helping him through a serious health crisis that would last more than 5 years.
Today, Anita is a volunteer and Co-Chair on the Patient and Family Advisory Council at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Additionally, she donates her oil paintings to The Oral Cancer Foundation to help raise funds for awareness, prevention, and education. Anita is profoundly grateful to the people of HUP and OCF for their continued care and support for her husband and herself.
Overview:
Oral cancer usually occurs in people over the age of 45 but can develop at any age. These are some possible symptoms of oral cancer to watch for:
- A sore on the lip or in the mouth that does not heal
- A lump on the lip or in the mouth or throat
- A white or red patch on the gums, tongue, or lining of the mouth
- Unusual bleeding, pain, or numbness in the mouth
- A sore throat that does not go away, or a feeling that something is caught in the throat
- Difficulty or pain with chewing or swallowing
- Swelling of the jaw that causes dentures to fit poorly or become uncomfortable
- A change in the voice
- Pain in the ear
Retrieved from: http://www.cancercompass.com/oral-cancer-information/symptoms-and-detection.htm?source=CMPASPPC&c=Google:Google-Compass-Oral_Cancer:Oral_Cancer|Mouth|Symptoms_and_Detection:mouth_cancer_symptoms:Broad&ef_id=UoYtFgAAAL1AMdag:20131127142859:s
In Clark’s case, he had a loose tooth and when he went for his annual dental check-up, and shortly there after learned he had he had oral cancer.
3 Key Points:
- How to cope with a Devastating Diagnosis which takes courage.
- How to manage fears and uncertainties in the face of serious illness is a first step.
- How to use hope, and shared friendships help stabilize the course of a long term recovery
