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Profiles to Close out ’03-’04 Season With Burn Survivor Dr. Greg Walton

ARDMORE — The 2003-2004 season of the Noble Foundation's Profiles and Perspectives community enrichment series concludes on March 25 with Dr. Greg Walton, the survivor of a devastating oil field fire that resulted in severe burns to more than 75 percent of his body. A determined, outgoing individual, Walton went on to develop the courage to live a full and successful life. He will tell his personal story "Out of the Flame — Surviving Was Easy, the Challenge Was Living." The lessons he learned apply to all people across all walks of life.

Walton, who grew up in Oklahoma City, was working in an oil field in Healdton, Okla., when the devastating injury occurred. His leather gloves and work boots protected his hands and feet, but the fire scarred most of the rest of his body beyond healing. Given a 3 percent chance of survival, Walton was in the hospital for 55 days.

Miraculously, he pulled through and found the courage to return to college a year later. Through his hard work and determination to lead a normal life, Walton graduated from the University of Oklahoma's College of Medicine in 1989 and now lives in Enid, Okla. He works as a general surgeon at Integris, the hospital system that saved him. Along with a successful career, Walton has a full family life — he married his wife Traci in 1995 and they have four children.

"We are pleased to close out this year's series with such a remarkable individual," said Mary Kate Heltzel, chair of the Profiles and Perspectives Committee. "Dr. Walton is a shining example of the incredible strength of the human spirit. It is our hope that everyone gleans something from his story that applies to their life."

The event, which is free and open to the public, starts at 7 p.m. at the Charles B. Goddard Center in Ardmore.

Suggestions for speakers for the next season of Profiles are welcome, Heltzel added.

For more information about the series, or to suggest a speaker, go to www.noble.org/profiles on the Web, e-mail mkheltzel@noble.org or call (580) 224-6246.

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	Photo:
	Dr. Greg Walton

Photo/Submitted by the presenter

The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, headquartered in Ardmore, Okla., is a non-profit organization conducting agricultural, forage improvement, and plant biology research; providing grants to numerous non-profit charitable, educational and health organizations; and assisting farmers and ranchers through educational and consultative agricultural programs.

To learn more, visit the Noble Foundation Web site at http://www.noble.org.

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