Magyar News, 1990. november-1991. augusztus (1. évfolyam, 1-10. szám)

1991-07-01 / 9-10. szám

YOU MAY LIVE THERE, BUT YOU BELONG HERE

Traveling with a small package, the ashes of his father, Sándor Matolcsy arrived in Hungary. He was a young man studying medicine in Vienna when his father passed away. The last request was that he be buried in the Hungarian soil. More specifically in the cemetery owned by the Matolcsy family. Yes, for some strange reason and circumstances this privately owned cemetery preserved its status through the times when properties and businesses were taken over by the state. With all this in mind, and the package in hand, Sándor went to the Town Hall of Farmos and asked for a permission of burial from the head of the Town Council. He was asked to sit down across the desk from a young lady. In the background hanging on the wall were the usual official pictures of communist leaders. The conversation started out with some uneasiness under the circumstances on behalf of Sándor, but it soon let up. Among other things they talked bout how much contribution the family made to the community, especially Sándor's father as a physician. They also remembered the grandmother who was the first one to print the Bible for the blind in Hungary. As a conclusion to this visit the councilwoman said, “You may live there, but you belong here.” Somehow this stuck with Sándor, became part of his life. Even now, decades later as he recalls, he becomes emotional, his eyes struggle to stay dry and his voice becomes a bit raspy. No wonder that we find him in the frontline helping the Hungarian people.

Sándor speaks fluent Hungarian. He learned it in Brazil from his family and the emigrant Hungarian community there. Living in Brazil he spoke Spanish and Portuguese. When his father took a job as a physician in Cleveland, he attended the Georgetown University picking up English, then taking medical studies in Vienna - as you might have guessed, in German. For his postgraduate studies, he came back to the U.S.A. Sándor is an emergency physician and he also teaches. In 1979 Dr. Matolcsy attended a scientific meeting of the Hungarian American Medical Association in Florida. This was the proper first step. He became a member of the board of directors and when the changes started to take place in Hungary, Sándor was at the helm to help. He was fortunate to find the counterparts in Hungary. Twodoctors from Nyíregyháza were organizing the Hungarian Heart Foundation. They realized the need and extreme urgency to curtail heart disease. The life expectancy in Hungary is 6 - 7 years less than in the West, 10 years less compared to Japan. In the West the number of heart diseases went down 30% in some places, but in Hungary at the same time it was still rising.

The two doctors from Nyíregyháza, István Sértő Radies and László Zsonda, in 1986 came to Washington to take part in the International Congress of Cardiology. As a result of these doctors and Dr. Matolcsy many things were put into action. Hungary in the present political and economical situation cannot offer much help, therefor it is essential to look for outside support Dr. Matolcsy organized funds and equipment, hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of shipments every time. The American Heart Association sent a committee to Hungary and held symposiums both in Nyíregyháza and Veszprém. They started the first Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation program and screening in both cities. They laid the grounds for education in this field, and to make awareness of life style and dietary problems. They also received commitments. The Hungarians Health Insurance will extend coverage to include heart disease. The airline MALÉV will fly the equipment and supplies free of charge. Just recently St.

Vincent's Hospital put together a shipment worth over a hundred thousand dollars of material and. supplies.

Not long ago the First United Church of Christ hosted an outstanding performance. The internationally famed choir and orchestra from the music school of Nyíregyháza visited us during a fundraising tour for the Heart Foundation. This event was titled Heart to Heart. Many people in the audience said that it was a once-in-alifetime experience. These young Hungarians went far beyond our locality. They were selected from all over the world to sing for the American Music Educators National Congress in Washington with thousands of participants. They had unparalleled success. We are grateful for the work, concern, care that Dr. Sándor Matolcsy shows for the Hungarian people. He may live here, but his heart has a special place for the country of his ancestors.

Joseph F. Balogh

Drawing by E. Jean Burke from the book “Down in Villa Park" by Magdalene Havadtoy.

An Early Hungarian Store in Fairfield