Donation benefitted medical community

Thank you for publishing a story about body donors for The University of Iowa medical schools ('UI body donors honored for offering gift of science,” Aug. 30).

In 1975, our father died from a genetic disease called Familial Amyloidosis. It had never before been diagnosed in Iowa.

His body was willed to the University of Iowa medical community so that doctors and insurance companies could understand more about the degenerative disorder.

Due to years of research, the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., is now a world leader in treatment for amyloidosis.

During the 10 years before his passing, all six of us children would pile into the station wagon to travel from Newton to Iowa City on Highway 6 for our parents' appointments.

No genetic tests has been discovered yet, but our dad was able to teach a few more years and hold the first grandchild. He was a dedicated teacher and coach. He devoted himself to the students.

His gift to the future was proof of his passion for learning. Today, he'd be grinning his beloved Irish smile at the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. It's the kind of action he would have taken as an example to all of us.

Peggy Ellis-Bailey

Urbana