2007.04.15: April 15, 2007: Headlines: Lariam: Safety: Hometownannapolis.com: Family says malaria medicine contributed to mother of four jumping to her death

Peace Corps Online: Peace Corps News: Library: Peace Corps: Lariam : Peace Corps Lariam: Newest Stories: 2007.04.15: April 15, 2007: Headlines: Lariam: Safety: Hometownannapolis.com: Family says malaria medicine contributed to mother of four jumping to her death

By Admin1 (admin) (pool-151-196-126-222.balt.east.verizon.net - 151.196.126.222) on Monday, June 18, 2007 - 9:40 am: Edit Post

Family says malaria medicine contributed to mother of four jumping to her death

Family says malaria medicine contributed to mother of four jumping to her death

She took the medicine for a trip to South Africa a year ago to train a young American tennis star. Three days after she began her prescription, she was hospitalized, said her brother Peter Baglieri from Dobbs Ferry, N.Y. When she returned to her home in Sherwood Forest, she tried to take her life but her family stopped her. They monitored her around the clock and by August 2006 she seemed to be back to her normal, happy self, Mr. Baglieri said. "What (happened) last year was devastating. What happened this year was worse," he said. Lariam can stay in a person's system long after they stop taking it, the medicine's producer Roche said. Now, a year after she first took the medication, Mrs. Pastirik went to Gettysburg, home of her high school alma mater, and climbed the stairs of the 76-foot tall Longstreet Tower and jumped to her death.

Family says malaria medicine contributed to mother of four jumping to her death

A prescription for tragedy?

Family says malaria medicine contributed to mother of four jumping to her death

By MARY P. FELTER and JOSHUA STEWART Staff Writers

An Annapolis woman killed herself by jumping off an observation tower at Gettysburg National Military Park in Pennsylvania on Tuesday.

Mary "Sissy" L. Pastirik, 47, was found dead at the bottom of an observation tower by Canadian high school students. Evidence indicated that the death was a suicide, Adams County Pennsylvania Coroner Patricia Felix said.

Mrs. Pastirik's family said the suicide was unusual and unexpected. They believe Lariam, an anti-malarial medication Mrs. Pastirik took a year ago, contributed to her death by causing suicidal thoughts.

"This wasn't normal - you don't know how much she loved her kids. She had so many more things she was going to do," said Cheri Cochran, Mrs.

Pastirik's cousin from Annapolis.

She took the medicine for a trip to South Africa a year ago to train a young American tennis star. Three days after she began her prescription, she was hospitalized, said her brother Peter Baglieri from Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.

When she returned to her home in Sherwood Forest, she tried to take her life but her family stopped her. They monitored her around the clock and by August 2006 she seemed to be back to her normal, happy self, Mr. Baglieri said.

"What (happened) last year was devastating. What happened this year was worse," he said.

Lariam can stay in a person's system long after they stop taking it, the medicine's producer Roche said.

Now, a year after she first took the medication, Mrs. Pastirik went to Gettysburg, home of her high school alma mater, and climbed the stairs of the 76-foot tall Longstreet Tower and jumped to her death.

It was the last thing anyone ever thought Mrs. Pastirik would do. She was a dedicated wife and mother of four, a professional tennis player, an active member at St. Mary's Catholic Church and relished her career as a life coach at Athletic Performance Inc., a sports center in Millersville. She was partially responsible for the creation of Springhill Center for Family Development in Crownsville, an organization dedicated to strengthening communities through families.

"She was a ball of energy. Always very peppy and energetic," said Del. Ron George, R-Arnold, who volunteers at the center.

Lariam caused the woman they knew to change, Mrs. Pastirik's family said.

The medication's physical side-effects, like nausea and dizziness, are common among medications, but the psychological ones - though rare among the drug's users - are serious. Some people who take the medication have mild nightmares, trouble sleeping, hallucinations, depression and suicidal thoughts, the Food and Drug Administration said in a special guide it created for patients.

"Some patients taking Lariam think about killing themselves and there have been rare reports of suicides. We do not know if Lariam is responsible for these suicides," the FDA said in an online report.

After a series of murders and suicides among soldiers taking the anti-malarial drug both stateside and in the Middle East, the Army began its own research and determined that Lariam was not a causal factor in the incidents. However, the Army first developed the drug and then licensed it to Roche.

"This drug has gone to perfectly healthy people. People in the military, the Peace Corps, have killed themselves, have murdered their families," Ms. Cochran said.

Regardless of the circumstances surrounding Mrs. Pastirik's death, her life and legacy is what matters to those who knew her.

"You look at her and you look at her beautiful family, her wonderful family. They are really leaders in themselves. What a reflection on her," Mr. George said.

Born Dec. 8, 1959, in Sleepy Hollow N.Y., she graduated from Gettysburg Area High School in 1978 and from Slippery Rock University in 1982.

She worked as a life coach and events coordinator for Athletic Performance Inc. and was also a certified professional by the U.S. Professional Tennis Association as well as a trainer at Wake Forest University.

"She was all over the country training top people in the field," Mr. Baglieri said.

She was particularly dedicated to her church and a member of the Regnum Christi movement, an organization that promotes the Roman Catholic faith.

"She was a devout Catholic," Ms. Cochran said. "It is so sad; she was such a special person who touched so many lives. ... She was such a leader who brought people closer to God."

Her energy and devotion to her faith, which forbids suicide, makes her death especially troublesome, family said.

"She was a major person. She was a Catholic who didn't believe in (suicide). She was an amazing person who touched so many people in such a short time, from little children through adults. She was the ultimate connector, not in a business way but in a spiritual way," Mr. Baglieri said.

Surviving are Mrs. Pastirik's husband Thomas Pastirik. They married in 1998 and had three sons, Christian, Graceson and Gabriel, and one daughter, Mary Rose. Her father, Frank Baglieri, lives in Gettysburg. Her grandmother, Susan A. Melaville lives in Sleepy Hollow. Besides Peter Baglieri, she has two other brothers, Michael and Gerald Baglieri, of Berlin in Worcester County and Singapore, respectively. She was the daughter of the late Mary Lee Baglieri.

Visitation is from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. tomorrow at Kalas Funeral Home, 2973 Solomons Island Road, Edgewater. A funeral Mass will be said at 9:30 a.m. Monday at St. John Neumann Catholic Church, 620 N. Bestgate Road. Burial will be at St. Mary's Cemetery.

- No Jumps-

Published April 14, 2007, The Capital, Annapolis, Md.
Copyright © 2007 The Capital, Annapolis, Md.




Links to Related Topics (Tags):

Headlines: April, 2007; Lariam; Malaria; Safety and Security of Volunteers; Peace Corps Library; Peace Corps Directory; Peace Corps History; Bulletin Board; Recent Peace Corps News





When this story was posted in June 2007, this was on the front page of PCOL:


Contact PCOLBulletin BoardRegisterSearch PCOLWhat's New?

Peace Corps Online The Independent News Forum serving Returned Peace Corps Volunteers
Public diplomacy rests on sound public policy Date: June 10 2007 No: 1153 Public diplomacy rests on sound public policy
When President Kennedy spoke of "a long twilight struggle," and challenged the country to "ask not," he signaled that the Cold War was the challenge and framework defining US foreign policy. The current challenge is not a struggle against a totalitarian foe. It is not a battle against an enemy called "Islamofascism." From these false assumptions flow false choices, including the false choice between law enforcement and war. Instead, law enforcement and military force both must be essential instruments, along with diplomacy, including public diplomacy. But public diplomacy rests on policy, and to begin with, the policy must be sound. Read more.

Peace Corps News Peace Corps Library Peace corps History RPCV Directory Sign Up

Ambassador revokes clearance for PC Director Date: June 14 2007 No: 1159 Ambassador revokes clearance for PC Director
A post made on PCOL from volunteers in Tanzania alleges that Ambassador Retzer has acted improperly in revoking the country clearance of Country Director Christine Djondo. A statement from Peace Corps' Press Office says that the Peace Corps strongly disagrees with the ambassador’s decision and that her removal will have an adverse effect on the program in Tanzania. In an apparently unrelated story, the White House has announced that Retzer is being replaced as Ambassador.

June 1, 2007: This Month's Top Stories Date: June 1 2007 No: 1141 June 1, 2007: This Month's Top Stories
Returned Volunteers and Staff honor Warren Wiggins 15 May
Tom Seligman curates "Art of Being Tuareg" 26 May
PCV Marilyn Foss dies in China 25 May
Poet Susan Rich writes: The Women of Kismayo 22 May
Christopher Hill considers visit to North Korea 18 May
Peter Hessler talks about time in Fuling as PCV 18 May
Murder charges filed in death of PCV Julia Campbell 17 May
David Pitts claims JFK offered PC to Lem Billings 16 May
Niki Tsongas announces candidacy for Congress 16 May
James Rupert writes: Pakistanis talk of Musharraf's departure 16 May
Chris Matthews writes: Jerry Falwell's Political Legacy 15 May
Ron Tschetter visits volunteers in Botswana 14 May
Which assignment to take? Africa, Europe, or Central Asia 14 May
Willy Volk writes: New way to keep mosquitoes at bay 14 May
Jim Walsh takes special interest in Nepal 13 May
NPCA offers podcasts of social entrepreneurs 10 May
Gaddi Vasquez showcases food aid work in Central America 10 May
Donna Tabor dreamed up Cafe Chavalos 8 May
Tom Bissell writing book about Jesus' 13 Apostles 8 May
Jody Olsen praises PCV blogging 7 May
PC responds to missing volunteers in 2001 and 2007 2 May


Peace Corps Funnies Date: May 25 2007 No: 1135 Peace Corps Funnies
A PCV writing home? Our editor hard at work? Take a look at our Peace Corps Funnies and Peace Corps Cartoons and see why Peace Corps Volunteers say that sometimes a touch of levity can be one of the best ways of dealing with frustrations in the field. Read what RPCVs say about the lighter side of life in the Peace Corps and see why irreverent observations can often contain more than a grain of truth. We'll supply the photos. You supply the captions.

PCOL serves half million Date: May 1 2007 No: 1120 PCOL serves half million
PCOL's readership for April exceeded 525,000 visitors - a 50% increase over last year. This year also saw the advent of a new web site: Peace Corps News that together with the Peace Corps Library and History of the Peace Corps serve 17,000 RPCVs, Staff, and Friends of the Peace Corps every day. Thanks for making PCOL your source of news for the Peace Corps community. Read more.

May 2, 2007: This Month's Top Stories Date: May 3 2007 No: 1128 May 2, 2007: This Month's Top Stories
Tschetter flew to Manila to support search for missing PCV 15 Apr
Michael O'Hanlon writes: A ruthless foe 24 Apr
Dodd calls for 'surge of diplomacy' on Iraq 13 Apr
Tony Hall works with Opportunity International 22 Apr
Mark Gearan Calls for Service, engaged constituency 20 Apr
Timothy Obert sentenced in molestation case 20 Apr
Moyers indicts news media on Iraq reporting 19 Apr
Chris Matthews to moderate May 3 GOP debates 18 Apr
Garamendi votes to kill LNG terminal 10 Apr
Scheper-Hughes receives William Sloan Coffin Award 7 Apr
Petri outraged at Student Loan Corruption 6 Apr
Dodd wants to expand Peace Corps to 100,000 4 Apr
John Sherman's opera "Biafra" now on web 2 Apr
Peter Navarro writes "The Coming China Wars" 30 Mar
Carl Pope writes: 2% solution for global warming 28 Mar
Philippe Newlin lectures on wine 28 Mar
DRI launches program to improve Healthcare in Ghana 26 Mar
Gabriela Lena Frank's Compadrazgo debuts in Columbus 26 Mar
Reed Hastings appointed to Microsoft Board of Directors 26 Mar
Shays supports National Public Service Academy 23 Mar
Margaret Krome writes: Peace vigil appropriate response 21 Mar
Al Kamen writes: Clinton fired Prosecutors too 21 Mar


Suspect confesses in murder of PCV Date: April 27 2007 No: 1109 Suspect confesses in murder of PCV
Search parties in the Philippines discovered the body of Peace Corps Volunteer Julia Campbell near Barangay Batad, Banaue town on April 17. Director Tschetter expressed his sorrow at learning the news. “Julia was a proud member of the Peace Corps family, and she contributed greatly to the lives of Filipino citizens in Donsol, Sorsogon, where she served,” he said. Latest: Suspect Juan Duntugan admits to killing Campbell. Leave your thoughts and condolences .

Warren Wiggins: Architect of the Peace Corps Date: April 15 2007 No: 1095 Warren Wiggins: Architect of the Peace Corps
Warren Wiggins, who died at 84 on April 13, became one of the architects of the Peace Corps in 1961 when his paper, "A Towering Task," landed in the lap of Sargent Shriver, just as Shriver was trying to figure out how to turn the Peace Corps into a working federal department. Shriver was electrified by the treatise, which urged the agency to act boldly. Read Mr. Wiggins' obituary and biography, take an opportunity to read the original document that shaped the Peace Corps' mission, and read John Coyne's special issue commemorating "A Towering Task."

March 14, 2007: This Month's Top Stories Date: March 14 2007 No: 1074 March 14, 2007: This Month's Top Stories
Evacuated PCVs attend Festival on the Niger in Mali 23 Feb
Tom Bissell tells the story of how Vietnam came home 13 Mar
Mike Honda cites Japan's Sex Slavery 8 Mar
Donna Shalala co-chairs presidential commission 7 Mar
Sixth Anniversary of Disappearance of PCV Walter Poirier 6 Mar
Sam Farr was de-selected during Peace Corps Training 6 Mar
Elaine Jones would be good fit for NAACP President 6 Mar
Pat Waak re-elected chairwoman of Colorado Dems 5 Mar
Astronaut Mae Jemison was PC Medical Officer 4 Mar
Guy Consolmagno blends faith and science 3 Mar
Doyle Turns Down Federal Abstinence Money 3 Mar
Owen Cylke writes: Taxi in the Rain 2 Mar
Jody Olsen receives "Founder’s Day" Award 2 Mar
Chris Dodd introduces PCV Empowerment Act 1 Mar
Michael O'Hanlon writes: Iraq Deserves One More Chance 1 Mar
An Excerpt from Jan Worth's Night Blind 28 Feb
David Harde sentenced for Medical Marijuana 28 Feb
Oscar winner Helen Mirren congratulated by RPCV husband 26 Feb
RPCVs distribute mosquito nets 25 Feb
Peter McPherson new Chairman of Dow Jones 21 Feb
Arabic speakers under-utilized in Homeland Security 9 Feb
Dr. J. Michael Taylor co- founded Konbit Sante 4 Feb

The Peace Corps Library Date: July 11 2006 No: 923 The Peace Corps Library
The Peace Corps Library is now available online with over 40,000 index entries in 500 categories. Looking for a Returned Volunteer? Check our RPCV Directory or leave a message on our Bulletin Board. New: Sign up to receive our free Monthly Magazine by email, research the History of the Peace Corps, or sign up for a daily news summary of Peace Corps stories. FAQ: Visit our FAQ for more information about PCOL.

Chris Dodd's Vision for the Peace Corps Date: September 23 2006 No: 996 Chris Dodd's Vision for the Peace Corps
Senator Chris Dodd (RPCV Dominican Republic) spoke at the ceremony for this year's Shriver Award and elaborated on issues he raised at Ron Tschetter's hearings. Dodd plans to introduce legislation that may include: setting aside a portion of Peace Corps' budget as seed money for demonstration projects and third goal activities (after adjusting the annual budget upward to accommodate the added expense), more volunteer input into Peace Corps operations, removing medical, healthcare and tax impediments that discourage older volunteers, providing more transparency in the medical screening and appeals process, a more comprehensive health safety net for recently-returned volunteers, and authorizing volunteers to accept, under certain circumstances, private donations to support their development projects. He plans to circulate draft legislation for review to members of the Peace Corps community and welcomes RPCV comments.

He served with honor Date: September 12 2006 No: 983 He served with honor
One year ago, Staff Sgt. Robert J. Paul (RPCV Kenya) carried on an ongoing dialog on this website on the military and the peace corps and his role as a member of a Civil Affairs Team in Iraq and Afghanistan. We have just received a report that Sargeant Paul has been killed by a car bomb in Kabul. Words cannot express our feeling of loss for this tremendous injury to the entire RPCV community. Most of us didn't know him personally but we knew him from his words. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends. He was one of ours and he served with honor.

Meet Ron Tschetter - Our Next Director Date: September 6 2006 No: 978 Meet Ron Tschetter - Our Next Director
Read our story about Ron Tschetter's confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that was carried on C-Span. It was very different from the Vasquez hearings in 2001, very cut and dried with low attendance by the public. Among the highlights, Tschetter intends to make recruitment of baby boomers a priority, there are 20 countries under consideration for future programs, Senator Dodd intends to re-introduce his third goal Peace Corps legislation this session, Tschetter is a great admirer of Senator Coleman's quest for accountability, Dodd thinks management at PC may not put volunteers first, Dodd wants Tschetter to look into problems in medical selection, and Tschetter is not a blogger and knows little about the internet or guidelines for volunteer blogs. Read our recap of the hearings as well as Senator Coleman's statement and Tschetter's statement.

Peace Corps' Screening and Medical Clearance Date: August 19 2006 No: 964 Peace Corps' Screening and Medical Clearance
The purpose of Peace Corps' screening and medical clearance process is to ensure safe accommodation for applicants and minimize undue risk exposure for volunteers to allow PCVS to complete their service without compromising their entry health status. To further these goals, PCOL has obtained a copy of the Peace Corps Screening Guidelines Manual through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and has posted it in the "Peace Corps Library." Applicants and Medical Professionals (especially those who have already served as volunteers) are urged to review the guidelines and leave their comments and suggestions. Then read the story of one RPCV's journey through medical screening and his suggestions for changes to the process.

History of the Peace Corps Date: March 18 2006 No: 834 History of the Peace Corps
PCOL is proud to announce that Phase One of the "History of the Peace Corps" is now available online. This installment includes over 5,000 pages of primary source documents from the archives of the Peace Corps including every issue of "Peace Corps News," "Peace Corps Times," "Peace Corps Volunteer," "Action Update," and every annual report of the Peace Corps to Congress since 1961. "Ask Not" is an ongoing project. Read how you can help.


Read the stories and leave your comments.






Some postings on Peace Corps Online are provided to the individual members of this group without permission of the copyright owner for the non-profit purposes of criticism, comment, education, scholarship, and research under the "Fair Use" provisions of U.S. Government copyright laws and they may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner. Peace Corps Online does not vouch for the accuracy of the content of the postings, which is the sole responsibility of the copyright holder.

Story Source: Hometownannapolis.com

This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; Lariam; Safety

PCOL36912
38


Add a Message


This is a public posting area. Enter your username and password if you have an account. Otherwise, enter your full name as your username and leave the password blank. Your e-mail address is optional.
Username:  
Password:
E-mail: