George McGovern Coming in October to Give Talk About His Daughter's Tragic Fight with Alcoholism

Former U. S. senator and presidential candidate George McGovern will visit on Friday, October 11, to discuss his book Terry: My Daughter's Life and Death Struggle with Alcoholism. The talk will begin at 7:00 p.m. in the Emerson Suites, Phillips Hall. His visit marks the 30th anniversary of Cornerstone Recovery Services, the sponsor of the event. Though it is free and open to the public, tickets are required. For information on how to obtain free tickets, contact Priscilla Quirk, coordinator of health promotion and substance-abuse prevention programs, at 274-3136 or pquirk @ithaca.edu.

McGovern's book is the chronicle of his daughter's fatal struggle with alcoholism and his own efforts to confront his role in her lifelong addiction. Teresa, the third of McGovern's five children, began drinking at age 13, was hospitalized for depression at 19, then cleaned up for a while but spiraled out of control in her 30s. In 1994 she froze to death in a parking lot after a drinking binge. After her death, McGovern established the Terry McGovern Foundation to raise funds for alcohol research. He now devotes his time to speaking about his daughter, his family's experiences with her addiction, and the problem of alcoholism in America.

"George McGovern was the Democratic presidential nominee in 1972, the year Cornerstone Recovery Services was born," says Bill Rusen, executive director of Cornerstone. "It seems only fitting to invite him to be the cornerstone of our 30th-anniversary celebration. He serves on the board of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependency and is well aware of the work of chemical-dependency recovery organizations such as ours."

Originally known as Alpha House, Cornerstone Recovery Services treats the chemical- dependency recovery needs of central New York with outpatient, supportive living, and residential treatment services. Cornerstone maintains facilities in Ithaca, Trumansburg, and Groton.