Happy Birthday Lew

Nigel has become a friend to many of us who continue to work towards the truth surrounding synthetic turf toxicity. We’ve had many phone calls. He’s a wonderfully humble Englishman, a medical professional: the former chief executive of the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) of Cumbria and most importantly: Dad to Lewis Maguire.

Our beloved son Lewis John Marcel Maguire died peacefully from complications following a bone marrow transplant. He was and always will be my hero. The emptiness he leaves behind has left us all bereft and at sea. pic.twitter.com/8CXCKKrxVN

— Nigel Maguire (@Duran1177) March 17, 2018

“Lew” as Nigel affectionately calls him, lost his battle with cancer in March of 2018. 
Lew was 20 years old had Hodgkin lymphoma and he was an extraordinary Soccer player.

This man is not just forever heartbroken. He and Lew put themselves out there and did everything from writing the highest level of government to appearing on the international media circuit.

They wanted answers.
They wanted regulation.
They wanted change.
All of this while Lew fought cancer.

If you do one thing today, take the time to watch Dangerous Play (load in Chrome for English)

(Around the 34 minute mark) You’ll see Nigel and Lew standing at the gates of his training fields.....
“It looks very innocent...... it brings back bad memories.......I used to bring Lewis here week in and week out. If I knew then what I know now I would have never walked through those gates.” said Nigel.

Be an advocate for your child, be sure to look at the artificial grass they are playing on. Ask questions and don’t accept empty or vague answers.
We know plenty about tire crumb and now various types of #PFAS has become a true discovery at various levels in artificial grass.

There’s a simply wonderful answer and it’s grass. You have the power and the right to ask your child’s coach, school, town, sports league, soccer club (etc) to put their play on grass.

So what’s true? Nigel said: "I will continue to press for answers, not least because Lewis wanted those answers and I owe it to him to get them." and we’re with you Nigel.

Our beloved son Lewis John Marcel Maguire died peacefully from complications following a bone marrow transplant. He was and always will be my hero. The emptiness he leaves behind has left us all bereft and at sea. pic.twitter.com/8CXCKKrxVN

— Nigel Maguire (@Duran1177) March 17, 2018

Turf fields: Medway health board recommends signs, regulations

By Zachary Comeau/Daily News Staff

Posted Jul 15, 2015 at 12:31 PMUpdated Jul 15, 2015 at 1:27 PM

  

MEDWAY - After months of debate over the safety of artificial turf fields, the Board of Health voted Monday to recommend placing minimal-language signs on the three fields and to work with the parks department and school district to draft a policy or regulation.

The debate comes months after an NBC News report about the research of Amy Griffin, a soccer coach at the University of Washington who has compiled a list of soccer players – who played on turf – that have developed cancer.

Since then, the state Department of Health, citing several recent studies in other states, said that adverse health effects are not likely.

“Although exhaustive research has not been completed, the available studies have shown that although (artificial turf field) components contain chemicals in the material itself, exposure opportunities at levels measured do not suggest that health effects are likely,” the document reads.

But opponents of artificial turf in town also cite the ability for artificial turf fields to reach extreme temperature during hot and humid weather.

Tracy Stewart, who has been among the most vocal in the debate, sent Health Agent Stephanie Bacon documents recording surface temperatures of the town’s three turf fields, and in each case, the temperature on the turf field reached well over 130 degrees while the air temperature was in the low 80s.

However, Board of Health Chairman Michael Heavey said the recordings may not be entirely accurate, as the devise used was an infrared thermometer, which does not measure air temperature.

“It’s more about what the ambient temperature around (the turf) is,” he said.

Parks Commissioner Paul Mahoney said temperatures on the running track and tennis courts also become very hot in the summer.

“Without doing proper testing I think it’s irresponsible to continually hammer that,” he said, adding that he does not have a “problem with a sign” simply stating that the fields can become hot.

Athletic Director Rob Pearl said Hanlon Field, the main football field at the high school, has been there for more than 10 years, and a death on the field was attributed to a student’s heart condition.

Pearl added that coaches and trainers are given a handbook of safety guidelines regarding concussion, player safety and heat acclimation.

“All coaches have to follow and look at what the rules and guidelines are,” he said.

Resident Allan White, a youth soccer coach, said he’s been to Board of Selectmen, School Committee and Board of Health meetings and the “community is not working together” on the issue.

“Someone needs to get past that,” he said. “It’s about what is right for the kids and parents of Medway.”

Bacon said she will contact Interim Superintendent Armand Pires to work on drafting a regulation or policy and to set up a joint meeting between the Board of Health, the Parks Commission and the School Committee.

http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20150715/NEWS/150717973

Zachary Comeau can be reached at 508-634-7556 and zcomeau@wickedlocal.com. Follow him on Twitter @ZComeau_MDN.