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Students Get a Glimpse Inside the Brain
 Al Larson, with granddaughter, tells students
about his brain surgery
Life spent coping with the effects of Parkinson’s
disease is pretty far removed from the world of most fourth
graders. At Sacred Heart School in Shawnee, KS, however, science
came to life as fourth grade students got a first hand glimpse
into that world. After students studied the brain in class,
Dr. Al Larson, a Sacred Heart grandparent with Parkinson’s,
was invited to share with students his battle with the disease
and explain his subsequent brain surgery which eased some
of the symptoms of Parkinson’s.
“Before the surgery,” Dr. Larson
explained, “I needed help with everyday, routine tasks.
And now, with God’s gift of technology, I am able to
walk, weed my garden, and even drive. I was given back my
dignity.”
Students spoke with Dr. Larson, viewed video
of the procedure, and examined some of the actual equipment
used in the brain surgery. Many were surprised that Dr. Larson
was awake as doctors drilled into his skull and operated on
his brain.
“It would probably be very scary,”
said fourth grader Allyson Goetz. Others were surprised at
the way ordinary devices helped Larson live a better life.
“It would be weird to have batteries in my body,”
said fourth grader Jaye Peterson.
Students left the experience with a better
appreciation for the brain and its capabilities, as well as,
a better understanding of some of the scientific advances
which are helping individuals with diseases that affect the
brain.
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