Eva and her battle with Lupus

As fresh-faced students from Small Town America flood college campuses at the beginning of another new year, one special young woman is sadly missing.

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Her name is Eva and she is the beloved daughter of Marion Valentine, loved by all who know her. Nineteen years old, Eva was diagnosed with Lupus a little over a year ago. Everyone was so proud of Eva when she won a scholarship to ---- College. An A student in every department of life, Eva was unable to keep her grades up due only to illness. Eva now has renal kidney failure. Scheduled for surgery to insert a tube for Peritoneal Dialysis, her surgery had to be postponed because of unexplained bruising. Further testing, including a bone marrow biopsy, showed negative and doctors gave the go ahead for surgery, which will be done within the week. As heartbreaking as it was when Eva had to drop out of college, she must also face being no longer covered by Tricare. In addition Eva has only a limited private insurance policy which has no prescription drug benefits, limited hospital benefits and which pays only $50.00 per Doctor visit. If there is anyone who understands the lure of education it's Eva's father, patriot Marion Valentine (Val) , of Laurel, Mississippi. Val grew up as a sharecropper's son in hauntingly beautiful rural Mississippi. Every time Val was missing, he could be found with his nose in a book under a weeping willow tree, In time, bookworm Val had read everything he could get his hands on, which he says is thanks largely to a "wonderful English teacher." It was this same teacher who persuaded Val's father to sign for him to join the Military four days after his 17th birthday because the little school he was attending could offer him nothing else. Val spent nine years in Navy Intelligence as a Cryptologist (1958-1967) before being discharged on a partial service connected disability. Though you wouldn't guess it from his feisty columns, Val has been totally disabled since 1978. Marion Valentine, who has never taken but always given all his life through love of his country, is wracked with worry about the expenses of Eva's surgery. To Val, the lovely young woman waiting for surgery in a hospital bed, is still the freckle-faced little girl, who climbed onto his lap to hear another bedtime story If anyone would care to donate to help with Eva's medical expenses, make checks payable to: Eva Valentine Benefit Fund and mail to: Community Bank Attn: Karen Howard P.O. Box 265 Laurel. Mississippi 39441 Phone: 601-649-5770