The Russellville Civitans do many things for the local community but they were reminded last week that the scope of their support has an international impact as well.

Last Tuesday, the Russellville Civitans hosted Dr. Susan Campbell, who is an assistant director for research and outreach at the Civitan International Research Center (CIRC) in Birmingham.

CIRC is one of the main organizations Civitan clubs, like the Russellville club, support through their monthly dues and through different fundraisers.

The purpose of CIRC is to conduct research related to the brain and the prevention and treatment of developmental disabilities.

In addition to her jobs as a research scientist, Campbell, who conducts research related to epilepsy and cancer, also serves as a liaison between CIRC and local Civitan clubs.

Campbell said her involvement with CIRC started five years prior to actually joining a Civitan club. She said she had been approached about becoming a Civitan but it wasn’t until she observed a local club conducting a community service project in the middle of a rainstorm that she realized the importance of what Civitans do.

“I had ben buried under a microscope for five years doing research and trying to make a difference in people’s lives, and there here are these regular, everyday people out working in the community who are making that physical contact – that human touch – with those in need around them.

“I realized that even though what I was doing in the lab was still helping people, I wanted to have that human element as well because it really made it more personal.”

Campbell and several others soon started their own Civitan club for the research scientists at CIRC.

She said the main function of their particular club was to educate people about developmental disabilities and the work they do at CIRC to treat and prevent diseases and disabilities such as mental retardation, autism spectrum disorders, treating brain tumors, neonatal seizures, constraint therapy, Rett syndrome, Alexander’s Disease, Kernicterus and others.

“The CIRC provides two types of research – basic science and clinical – as well as providing treatment for people who have these disabilities or diseases through the Civitan-Sparks Clinic,” Campbell said. “The research we do not only helps children here locally and in Alabama, but it helps children all over the world.”

According to Campbell, 1 in 20 children are now diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) each year and 1 in 80 children are diagnosed with some form of autism.

“More than likely, you could go into almost any classroom today and find a student who has a developmental disability,” Campbell said. “That’s why we value the research we do – we want to treat and prevent these diseases so other children don’t have to suffer with the same things.”

Campbell stressed the importance of the donations CIRC receives from Civitan clubs like Russellville Civitans.

“One hundred percent of the monies we receive go towards research program development,” she said. “The money you donate to CIRC is vital to what we’re able to accomplish.”

After the presentation, Russellville Civitan President Stratt Byars presented Campbell with a check for $1,500, which represented money raised through various fundraisers held throughout the year.

“We’re glad to support the Civitan International Research Center and the work they do there,” Byars said. “Besides the local support we give through things like our scholarships, the Research Center is our number one charity and something we donate to every year.

“We appreciate Dr. Campbell coming out and reminding us why we work hard to raise money and support organizations like this. The work they do affects many lives and we’re glad to help them any way we can.”