Their Purposes Fulfilled, The MSGW Foundation and Wilcox Mosquito Foundation Are Dissolved

by Contributor | September 12, 2017 4:15 pm

To The Editor:
We come to you today with so much love and appreciation for all of the strength and support that you have given us over the last six years; since the death of our beloved and dearly missed, Maggie Sue Wilcox.

As you know, our Moo died from the deadly Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus; an encephalitis contracted by her from the bite of an infected mosquito.

In order to make some kind of sense out of our Moo’s death, we vowed to make certain that her death would not ever be in vain and that other families would never have to suffer such a devastating and avoidable loss of life of someone they loved.

To that end, by asking the hard questions; by meeting with our town, county and state officials; by putting those officials to task and begging that changes come about, we feel as though we have achieved success.

Please understand, the battle against the deadly mosquito-borne beast is not over by any means.

But, our cries have been heard and are being answered.

We have discussed our Maggie’s death with world-renowned researchers and scientists working every day in the field of mosquito control and in developing both biologic and chemical ways for reducing or eliminating their numbers; fervently urging them to continue and do more.

Measures have been implemented on a state level to combat mosquito-borne viruses; contiguous counties have changed their protocols to better protect its citizens; conversation and educational sessions discussing the means by which you can protect those you love have been held; property owners are now able to receive free-of-charge mosquito larvacide dunks to eliminate mosquito breeding grounds.

And, far more importantly, at least in my opinion, a group of researchers and scientists have been tasked with determining the possibility and the means by which a human vaccine for EEE and other similarly related viruses and illnesses may one day be made available to the public.

A human vaccine was, and will always be, our foundation’s and our family’s end goal.

Our Maggie, and all of the other little Maggie’s living all around us, deserve nothing less!

And so, our time has come.

Six long and painful years later, our hearts and souls are drained and so very weary.

We need rest and healing and time to remember all the joy Maggie brought to our lives.

Now that all of the above measures are solidly in place and all of the right people are hard at work, it is time for our rest and healing and remembering to begin.

The MSGW Foundation and The Wilcox Mosquito Foundation (as well as our email and Facebook accounts) will now be dissolved and deactivated.

Their purposes have been fulfilled.

We thank you all from the bottom of our hearts for your tireless support over these last few, difficult years and we encourage you to continue the conversations and the question-asking.

Continue to utilize the repellents available to you.

Continue to look for ways to reduce or eliminate mosquito breeding grounds in and around your homes.

Continue to dress appropriately.

Continue to mosquito-proof your homes.

Never become complacent in protecting those you love and hold most dear. It takes but a second to protect them – and it takes but a second for the bite of an infected mosquito to sentence them to death.

Please remember us and our Moo in your prayers.

You ALL know what to do now, friends.

So, Be Aware ‘Cause It’s Rare… Fight EEE!

Donna S. Wilcox
The MSGW Foundation and The Wilcox Mosquito Foundation

Source URL: https://oswegocountytoday.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/their-purposes-fulfilled-the-msgw-foundation-and-wilcox-mosquito-foundation-are-dissolved/

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