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Everett and Melba Masters received the charter
from the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America, Inc. for the first chapter
“west of the Mississippi” on July 30, 1956. Masters’ leadership and
dedication of over 40 years service to the chapter has served as an
inspiration to all of us who have joined with him as we strive together to
achieve a “World Without Myasthenia Gravis”!
The
Melba "Bandy" Masters Memorial Clinic for the diagnosis and the treatment of
Myasthenia Gravis has been held at the Hi-Plains Hospital, Hale Center,
Texas, every fall for the past 40 years. This clinic was co-sponsored by the
hospital and the Northwest Texas Chapter of the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation
of America, Inc.
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Melba's Story
Those attending the clinic
through the years may have a copy of "Melba's Story" but there are many who
may not be familiar with this special lady in whose memory we hold the MG
clinic each year. It is an inspirational story sharing Melba "Bandy"
Masters’ experience with MG and the founding of the Northwest Texas Chapter.
Everett E. Masters and his
wife Melba Bandy Masters, the first person in the South Plains area
diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis founded the Northwest Texas Chapter of the
Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America, Inc. In essence, our history begins
as far back as 1933 when this lovely couple met. Everett tells the story of
his wife's fight with MG in a simple narration entitled “Melba's Story". The
following is a summary "Melba's Story".
Melba and Everett married
six months after they met in spite of his telling her early on that he was
not the “marrying kind” and for her to not get serious. In reading “Melba's
Story” you have no doubt that this chapter was founded also as a result of
the strong religious faith of this couple. Everett expressed that from the
very beginning of their relationship he “was impressed with Melba's great
love for the Lord.... and her desire to serve God in all things”.
The Master's had two sons,
Wesley in 1937 and Jesse in 1940 just before World War II began. Though many
of Everett's family joined the armed forces, he was left behind on the farm
to “produce food and fiber for our war needs.” He states that Melba helped
with the farm work and both boys were driving tractors before they were old
enough to go to school. Melba was also working with their church organizing
a ladies' group and served as an officer of this group on the district
level, concentrating in the area of children's work. It was during this very
busy time of her life that Melba began having weak spells.
The doctors in numerous
hospitals throughout Texas would put Melba through their clinics and then
call Everett into their office and say, “Mr. Masters, there is nothing wrong
with your wife. She only thinks she is ill.” They brought Melba back to Hale
Center where Dr. Chalmer diagnosed her with Myasthenia Gravis. At the age of
36, Melba was told she would have six months at the most to live. Since the
government was sending Dr. Chalmer back into the service, Melba was sent to
Scott and White Clinic in Temple to start her on a medication that might
help her. The doctor there also confirmed that Melba would die in a very
short time.
After several weeks in
Temple, the Masters returned to Hale Center and started seeing Dr. Foster
who had replaced Dr. Chalmer. Dr. Foster had treated other MG patients and
said he would do all he could for Melba. The disease continued to progress
and they were having to use twice as much medicine as they had at first.
They once again were facing the reality that Melba had a short time to live.
At this time, the boys were 13 and 10 years old, and Everett wrote “Melba
began to pray and ask God to let her remain with her family until her boys
were grown...She promised that if He would let her remain until then, that
she would not complain of the pain or the inconvenience. And I promised God
that I would take care of Melba, and not let her become a burden to
society.”
Over the years Melba would
go to wherever the new drugs were that promised hope for her disease.
Everett learned how to administer the drugs and they would return home. One
drug that seemed safer and was helping Melba better than any they had tried,
was discontinued because it was experimental and not produced in this
country.
During this time, the Masters learned about the National MG Foundation which
was organized in 1952. After learning about the National MG Foundation, the
Masters began work on setting up the Northwest Texas Chapter at Hale Center.
They received their charter in 1956. They learned of other MG patients
through their efforts and set up a “drug bank” at the Hi-Plains Hospital in
Hale Center that was providing medicine for patients in about four states.
Melba enjoyed corresponding with these patients whenever possible.
Everett writes, "We were
living one day at a time, and enjoying every bit of it. It was so wonderful,
living with a person so dedicated to the Lord. She was so sweet and
considerate of others. There was never a day went by, that she did not thank
God for Dr. Foster and myself, because she believed both of us were being
led by God in caring for her. Of course, I received far more than I gave
during those years. It was such an opportunity for me.”
Melba lived to see her sons
reach maturity. Wesley married in 1959 and their first grandchild was born
the following year. Jesse was engaged to be married and both boys were
attending Texas Tech University. I don't know how else to end Melba's
story without just quoting how it was stated by Everett.
“Living became so difficult for Melba that every breath was an effort, for
she was getting so tired, in spite of the new medicine that we had gone to
Indianapolis to receive from Dr. J. E. Tether. Melba was no longer able to
continue the long struggle for life against MG, and on the morning of
February 16, 1961, she passed away quietly, at the hospital in Hale Center,
attended by our Dr. Foster and several of the nurses we had learned to love
so well during the ten years they had cared for her.”
Everett Masters continued to be involved with Myasthenia Gravis work in the
Texas Panhandle and also at the national level. In 1962, Everett started
"The Melba Bandy Masters Memorial Clinic" in memory of his wife. The Masters
family set up a grant to support the MG clinic which has been held annually
since that date. Dr. J. E. Tether, the doctor who had gotten Melba the last
new medicine that she tried, came from Indianapolis to Hale Center for
almost 30 years to conduct the Melba Bandy Masters Memorial Clinic. Dr.
Tether retired in 1989 and passed away January 21, 1997. Everett, though
nearing 90 years of age, continues to serve as a Trustee on the Board of the
Northwest Texas Chapter.
What
a privilege it is to be a part of a Chapter founded by such a special
couple. They both will continue to be an inspiration to many MG patients and
their families and friends in the years to come. May we strive together to
carry on the good work Melba and Everett began.
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