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MILLIGAN COLLEGE, TN (Nov. 8, 2012) — The occupational therapy students at Milligan College will host a lecture by motivational speaker Phil Timp on Monday, Nov. 12, at 9:30 a.m. in the McGlothlin-Street Theater in Milligan’s Gregory Center for the Liberal Arts. The lecture is free and open to the public.
Timp will speak about the struggles he has overcome during his lifetime, including his ongoing battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which also is known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
After learning that his daughter suffered from a rare neurological disorder, Timp founded The Beth Foundation in order to provide financial assistance to families experiencing difficulties in attempting to raise children with rare or severe disorders.
In 2011, Timp himself was diagnosed with ALS. He produced a CD, titled “Silver Linings,” that explains his journey and shares with others how to rejoice during life’s most daunting obstacles. Copies of “Silver Linings” will be available for purchase after the lecture.
Students in Milligan’s Master of Science in occupational therapy (MSOT) program invited Timp to share his story in order to understand the struggles of patients during the recovery process, rather than solely focusing on the diagnosis itself. Dr. Christy Fellers, associate professor of occupational therapy, emphasizes servant leadership to her students.
“Our first-semester students have a mission to bring information into the class that will help their peers gain insight into the person who has an illness, and what the needs of that person are,” Fellers said. “Ultimately, we work with people, not diseases. At the end of the day, if the students don’t understand the needs of the person, they won’t be able to understand how to help that person recover.”
Donations of cash or checks will be accepted to raise funds for ALS awareness and research. Doors will open at 9:15 a.m. Seating is limited to approximately 220.
For more information on Timp, visit www.teamtimp.com. To learn more about the occupational therapy program at Milligan, visit www.milligan.edu/msot.