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You saved my life: A letter from the heart of a child
United Way supports Street Outreach, an enhanced service program created to help reduce sexual abuse and trauma among runaway, homeless and street youth in the Sedgwick County area.
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When health becomes a choice to make
Donald Moore has always believed in helping others. Since 1970, Moore has served as a regional director and public relations officer for a social-service organization based in India. He has worked with...
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Walking in Water
Arthritis sufferer finds relief in the warm waters of a swimming pool. When Claudine heard about the Arthritis Foundation Aquatics Program, she was skeptical at first. Claudine’s mother had suffered...
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Twelve weeks to a better lifestyle
“I knew I was overweight,” says Devon, 43, who struggled with her weight for 20 years. “I exercised very little. [But when I did,] I would get on the elliptical for 30 minutes and just about die,” she...
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Transportation service offers vehicle for independence
Harold was once known for his perfect vision. As a young World War II naval aviator it was required—in order to land his Wildcat fighter plane on a carrier deck. This young fighter pilot with 20/20...
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Small steps are big strides toward his dream to walk
With a wry grin, LeRoy Reed leans back in his wheelchair and talks about the old days. He pauses to remember specifics, but the rugged lines etched across his face tell the detailed story of a callused...
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Senior center turns life around
At age 64, Mary had a stroke. When she tried to go to work at Leeker’s pharmacy, she realized she didn’t know where she was going or how to get there.
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One step at a time
Lanesha crawled under the desk. She hid inside the hood of her coat. She refused to talk to others. Lanesha, 27, lives with intellectual impairments and has been in United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) Adult...
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Officer Helps Student Stay Out of the Office
Just over a year ago, Zach spent much of his time in the principal’s office. Today, his wasted time in the confines of the school office has been replaced with meaningful time in the friendship of a...
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Nothing like the movies
It was like a scene from the movie "Twister" but this was no movie. One couple will not soon forget the evening of May 3, 1999, when a tornado ripped through south Wichita and the Haysville area.
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New friend, new life purpose
Darlene, 72, felt lonely, even when she had painting for a hobby. But when her osteoarthritis locked up her hands and made it difficult to paint, she didn’t want to be alone any more. Darlene and her...
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Meet Bill and Bob–friends for life
Adult match of 17 years developed friendship through time and trust. Seventeen years ago, Bill was missing consistency in his life. Schizophrenia had left him in and out of the hospital and had...
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Medical treatment at no cost
John* described himself as someone who had never been sick for a day of his life. That was until October 2008. He began having stomach pains, but he had recently been laid off from his job and no...
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Living life to the fullest
"God didn’t give me walking legs," is the title of a book in development by Betty Miller, a retired resident at The Timbers in Wichita.
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Life in darkness changed by modern-day miracle worker
When Sarah first came to United Cerebral Palsy, she was affected by multiple severe disabilities including blindness. Inside her head, confusion and frustration wielded blades of turmoil. She was a...
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Learning to Ask for Help
Robert Chappell did not pay attention to his health until he blacked out while driving on Kellogg. Thankfully, he was only out for a moment and no one was hurt, but the event scared him enough to seek...
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Impacting lives by giving a ride
Our kidneys are a vital part of how our bodies function. Without them, we cannot survive. What do you do when your kidneys aren’t working properly but you have no way to transport yourself for treatment?
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High school sophomore saves brother using CPR
It was a typical night at the Lob house. The in-laws were visiting and the family was snuggled in for the evening. They had all shuffled beds, making room for the visitors. Thoughts of the good times...
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Helping arthritis sufferers move forward
The numbers are staggering. In Kansas over 407,000 people suffer from some form of arthritis and nearly 21 million nationwide. There are over one hundred different kinds of arthritis and it is the...
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Health brings happiness
A nurse sees weight loss benefiting more than her looks. As a licensed practical nurse (LPN), Brenda was daily instructing people how to be healthy when she was overweight herself. Now, she’s leading...
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Forming a mentality that leads to positive actions
Zach hopes to make the freshman high school basketball team this winter. A common goal with little significance, except that it hasn’t been all that common for Zach to set goals—and that makes it very...
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Experience leads to volunteering
A death in the family leads to a new volunteer opportunity. When Ray’s father-in-law passed away two years ago, the compassion and care experienced by his family at Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice...
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Education to heal broken hearts
What began as trouble breathing turned into a frantic emergency. Her heart failed, backing fluids into her lungs and shutting down her kidneys. Now in cardiac arrest, paramedics fought to save her life.
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Cerebral Palsy no match for Mike's determination
Mike’s scooter sits in the corner, along with his three-wheeled bike—and that’s where they’ll stay, while he’s around the house anyway. Although it’s becoming more difficult for him to walk these days,...
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A world filled with silence
Imagine never being able to hear a song on the radio or children laughing or even the sound of your own voice. Kathy Wigley and her family don’t have to imagine. Kathy, her husband and three children...
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A life confined to home is no longer confining
Helen’s life changed dramatically when she was stricken with polio at age 15, but her spirit remained unmovable. Helen fought back from an extremely bad case of polio to being rehabilitated in a few...
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A day in the life of Miss Margaret
As the American population ages, caretakers face difficult choices. Five years ago, Mary faced one of the toughest decisions of her life. Her mother Margaret was showing signs of memory loss, and Mary...
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A daughter keeps her promise
A daughter searches for a way to keep her job while providing her elderly mother with affordable quality care. Three years ago, Carolyn’s now 95-year-old mother, Mary, began to lose her vision. She...
View ArticleA Break From Reality
Ruth Ann, 76, suffers from dementia, Parkinson's disease, scoliosis and cervical dystonia as a result of a car accident in May 2010.Her scoliosis caused her to stoop over and left her unable to raise...
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"Buddy System" works wonders
When they first heard they were going to get a lunch buddy, a little bit of nervousness quickly turned into excitement for siblings Jack and Isabel. Since becoming lunch buddies with Mrs. Sue, their...
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College Student Juggles Schoolwork And A Long-Lasting Medical Condition
As a student of Wichita State University, Marcillene struggled to walk across campus to attend classes. “Sometimes I got to the point where I had to ask a random stranger to help walk me to class,” she...
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A Customized Helmet For Baby Ensures A Normal Shaped Head For The Future
Padded, protective helmets aren’t only worn by massive football players, soldiers, police officers and firefighters, they’re also worn by young babies with “plagiocephaly” or flathead syndrome....
View ArticleMaximizing Max's potential
Max's disabilities kept him from having a job but he still wanted purpose in life. Catholic Charities' Adult Day Services, a United Way funded program, gave Max a place to go each day where he could...
View ArticleBrotherly love knows no boundaries
When Sutton was born with Cerebral Palsy, his parents knew they wanted to give him normal childhood experiences his older brother had. While typical three-year-olds run and jump, Sutton can't do those...
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