Historic Saranac Lake "History Matters" series continues with "Clara's Rib"

Anne Raina, a native of Ottawa, will be speaking at the Saranac Laboratory Museum, 89 Church Street, on Thursday, May 23 at 7:00 pm. The talk is free and open to the public. Lightrefreshments will be provided.

Anne comes from a family that was ravaged by tuberculosis (TB). She is the youngest of ten children, seven of whom spent years in the Royal Ottawa Sanatorium ("the San") for the treatment of TB in the 1930s, '40s and '50s. Her father entered the San when she was six and he died of TB shortly after Anne turned eight. The eldest Raina child, John, died at age eighteen of tuberculosis and the youngest boy, Billy, died at age four of TB meningitis. Other siblings, Mary, Ralph, Clara, George and Jim were also afflicted with the disease. Anne's sister, Clara, entered the San in 1939 when she was 12 and was discharged for the final time in 1952 when she was 26. During her years in the San, Clara kept comprehensive daily diary notes. Thirty-four years ago, she drafted a manuscript based on those notes and focusing on her years growing up in the San.

Shortly before her death in 1998 she entrusted Anne with her diaries and all her notes. This precious gift to Anne came with no strings attached – Clara had no expectations for Anne to do anything with the material. Anne, however, believing it was a story that should be told, promised Clara that one day she would publish the story. At the time, Anne had been struck with multiple disabling autoimmune conditions and it was not until late 2010 that she could bring her promise to fruition. Anne explains that she has experienced myriad emotions in co-authoring Clara's Rib with her dear sister and friend Clara, who was 17 years older than her. She says she is humbled and overwhelmed by the response to Clara's Rib. She has a full schedule of speaking events, including presentations to historical societies, faith communities, medical and health professionals, libraries, community groups, book clubs and schools. She recently was invited to address the first and second year medical students at Ottawa University and was a keynote speaker at a large two-day TB conference in November 2012, presented by the Ontario Lung Association. Two hundred and fifty doctors and health care providers were inattendance.

Anne says the book has garnered wide interest from pre-teens through the spectrum of ages to the most senior of seniors. Wide-reaching coverage from the media via newspaper, radio and TV interviews has been gratifying. The media refer to Clara's Rib as both timely and timeless, particularly with tuberculosis still a world-wide pandemic.

Anne credits her parents for passing on to each of their children a faith and strength that played a significant role in all their lives.