SARAH MOLLET

Introduction

Sarah graduated magna cum laude from the U of M, Twin Cities and is pursuing a Masters in Advocacy and Political Leadership at the U of M, Duluth.  She has worked at One Heartland for five years,  She was the 2006 Recipient of the Virginia McKnight Binger Award in Human Service from the McKnight Foundation. 

Sarah's Story

When Sarah was in collge, she began a part-time job at Camp Heartland (now One Heartland).  She was new to the cause of HIV/AIDS.  She didn't know what to expect when she went to camp.  She was nervous and unsure of how to interact with the children and concerned about how to react in a crisis.  She didn't know if she was at risk contracting the disease. 

She learned very quickly with the help of a young woman named Lupe.  Lupe and Sarah were the same age, peers at camp.  They became fast friends.  Lupe was like family.  Lupe had HIV.

Lupe contracted HIV from a blood transfusion as a baby.  The terrible disease wreaked havov on her body, but Lupe was tirelessly committed to the kids at camp.  She was loving, kind, happy and selfless.  Her nickname was "Survicor" because she made it through countless hospital stays and multiple comas.  Even when her heart stopped beating, Lupe never stopped fighting.  She wanted to help people, so they didn't have to go through what she did. 

Together Sarah and Lupe spoke about HIV/AIDS throughout the country.  They talked to people about living with HIV/AIDS and the importance of friendships and compassion.  Lupe inspired people.  She helped them understand that she was a normal young girl, and it was okay to ask questions. 

MIKE STRAND 

Introduction

Mike grew up in Marine on St. Croix, Minnesota.  He worked at Andersen Corporation for 23years.  He is a yoga instructor, wedding officiate and writer.  He and his wife, Linda, have been married for over twenty years and live in Oakdale, MN.  He is a past board member of the Brain Injury Association of Minnesota (BIA), and receieved BIA's Oustanding Volunteer of the Year award in 1999.  In 2007, he was awarded the "Be the Change" award by Hands on Twin Cities and the Don Garafalo Volunteer Service Award from Andersen Corporation's CEO, Don Garafalo.

Mike's Story

On a clear winder day in January 1989, Mike was on his way home from work when he was broadsided by a semi-truck.  By coincidence, the volunteer EMT's who responded to the call were Mike's friends and co-workers.  At first the EMT's thought he was knocked unconscious.  But when they took his vital stats and couldn't get a blood pressure reading, they realized that he might not make it to the hospital.

However, luck was with him.  Ten days later Mike drifted out of his coma.  Eight weeks later he was released from the hospital.  With intensive rehabilitation he relearned how to walk and talk, and even tie his shoes.  Within six months he was back at work and four years later, he was finally able to work a full day. 

Mike calls it a "textbook miracle recovery."  He is particularly proud of one of his first successess, five months after the accident he walked down the aisle at his own wedding.  His recovery was not without some frustration.  Mike is an avid reader, but because of the memory and vision issues he suffered in the accident, it was 3 years before he could read a book again.

The Brain Injury Association of Minnesota was critical to Mike's successful recovery.  Early on they helped him navigate through his return to work and fight through depression.  Mike believes that having an understanding resource to call when he needed to talk to someone was essential to his recovery.

Today, Mike writes a regular column for the Brain Injury Association's newsletter.  His most popular essays have been published in the book "Meditations on Brain Injury" available from Amazon.com.

JUDY EGGLESTON

Introduction

Judy is a Twin Cities native and a University of Minnesota graduate with a Bachelor's degree in Occupational Therapy and a Master's degree in Public Health.  She is retired after 35 years of experience in clinical, educational, research and management health care positions.  Judy is a past member of the Alzheimer's Association Minnesota-North Dakota Board of Directors.  She continues as a volunteer, serving on the Association Program Services and Public Policy Committees.

Judy's Story

At the height of her career, Judy was also in the midst of major changes in her family life.  She was busy planning weddings with her children and looking forward to the arrival of her grandchildren.  It was during hectic time her father began exhibiting personality changes, including angry outbursts and suspicious comments.  He had difficulty both driving and walking to familiar locations and did not sleep at night.  He was a former accountand, but could no longer write a check.

Judy's mother dealt with these issues on her own as much as she could.  Between her busy life and her mother's caretaking, Judy didn't immediately recognize the gradual decline in her father's quality of life.

Eventually, her mother became exhausted and her health was compromised.  Her parents' life had reached a crisis level, and it was too late for early treatment and careful future planning.  Her father was diagnosed with an advanced case of Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease is a progressive, degenerative and fatal disease of the brain.  While there is no cure, treatments, medications and resources are available.  The Alzeheimers Association Minnesota-North Dakota is dedicated to improving the lives of those impacted by Alzheimer's disease.

With early detection and treatment, this crisis could have been prevented.  Judy brings a unique perspective to Alzheimer's disease, both as a provider and a caregiver.  She wants to help other families recognize the signs of Alzheimer's, and understand that with modern medical advancements and support they don't have to face the same struggles she faced with her father.

CAROLYN HANSON

Introduction

Carolyn Hanson works at Merrill Corporation in St. Paul as an IT Business Consultant.  She recently received a database administrative degree from Dakota County Technical College.  She has done various service and volunteer activities, starting with Jaycee Women and more recently as a literacy volunteer for elementary school kids.  She is a member of the Board of Directors of the Hemophilia Foundation of Minnesota and the Dakotas.

Carolyn's Story 

Carolyn was ready to take her newborn son, Nicholas, home from the hospital.  She waited as doctors performed a routine circumcision, the final step before Nicholas was released.  Suddenly, the nurse told Carolyn and her husband that there was a problem, and that was all they heard for 5 days.

Nicholas bled non-stop.  The doctors made desperate attempts to stop the bleeding.  Five days later they were successful, and the Hanson's learned their newborn baby had Hemophilia.  At first they were confused.  There was no family history and they did not know this disease.  This was their first child.  Carolyn felt totally lost.

Babies can't tell you what is wrong.  They cry when they are simply tired, or when it is somethign as serious as a liver bleed.  When Nicholas was six months old, they went to their first Hemophilia Foundation of Minnesota and the Dakotas meeting. where they met both children and adults affected by the disease.  For the first time, they knew they were not alone.  The Hanson's learned more about the condition, and they importance of helping Nick learn to take care of himself.

Nick is an amazing 13 year old kid with an inspiring attitued.  He faces an enormous amount of pain every morning, but doesn't let it stop him.  He remains happy and curious about world around him.

Nick's case is unusual.  He also has a disorder that makes his connective tissue soft, causing more frequent bleeds inside his joints.  Nick gives himself costly and painful shots directly into his veins.  He has spent months in a wheelchair.  Even walking to the store with his friends is a big deal.  Carolyn's hope is that someday research will find a way to provide the factor missing in his blood, and eliminate her son's pain.   

NATALIE BUSHAW

Introduction

Natalie is originally from Austin, MN, but has lived in the Twin Cities for more than 10 years.  A graduate of Winona State University, Natalie works as Director of Marketing and Communications for Sky Magazine, published locally by MSP Communications.  Natalie has served as a six year volunteer for CaringBridge, serves as the chairperson of the Parent Advisory Board at the University of Minnesota Children's Hospital and is a member of the Program Committee for the Make-A-Wish Foundation Minnesota.

Natalie's Story

On April Fool's Day 2003, a pregnant Natalie learned that her twin boys had multiple health issues that could prevent them from making it into the world.  They were a rare form of identical twins that shared teh same sac-a dangerous situation with a mortality rate of 85%.  Additionally, one of the twin's stomach and intestines weren't connected and other other had only half a heart.

At 28 weeks, Natalie was admitted to the hospital for constant monitoring.  It was at that tiems he was introduced to CaringBridge.  The website allowed Natalie and her husband to communicate with a multitude of people at one time, saving time and sparing them from repeating the same story over and over.

The twins, Owen and Logan, were born at 35 weeks.  In addition to the known complications, each had additional anomalies including a lack of a sleen for Logan and a rare hand and renal disorder for Owen.  The boys have had more than 18 surgeries and procedures, including two open heart surgeries, emergency stomach surgery, and intestinal operations, treatment for bacterial meningitis and kidney dialysis following acute kidney and liver failure.  Through it all, CaringBridge was there to provide documentation of their children's health and treatments, and ongoing support from visitors to their site.

Now six, Owen and Logan are headed to first grade.  Smart and very active, they love Star Wars and like to tell jokes.  Owen recently had a second hand surgery to build strength and eventually Logan will need a heart transplant.

The Bushaw website has had close to 400,000 visits since it was created.  Thanks to CaringBridge, they know they are not alone on their journey. 

SCOTT GILBERTSON

Introduction

Scott is a Minneapolis native and a University of Minnesota graduate.   He works at US Bank in Business Development/Sales.  He volunteers for the Minneapolis Heart Institute, is on the committee for their annual golf fundraiser and is a volunteer speaker for Community Health Charities. 

Scott's Story

In the winter of 2006, while playing Broomball, Scott suddenly felt dizzy and nauseous. He took a step to “walk it off” and collapsed in the snow.  Though he was only unconscious for a couple of minutes, it made him nervous, particularly since his father had suffered a similar issue.  Scott went to the Minneapolis Heart Institute, where he was diagnosed with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) at the age of 37.  HCM is an excessive thickening of the heart muscle, and affects one in 500 people.  It is the most common cause of heart-related sudden death in people under 30 years of age, and is known for its role in the cardiac arrest and death of some young professional athletes.

There is no known cure for HCM, but Scott had a defibrillator implanted to shock the heart into a regular beat, should he ever suffer an irregular heartbeat.  For years Scott was active in sports, including football, biking, running, and triathlons. He is now “retired” from team sports, and his hobbies include design, travel, language, yoga, biking, running and he plays in a band. 

“I consider myself very fortunate that the number one HCM expert in the world is here in Minneapolis, along with an amazing staff and facility. The work that is done at the Minneapolis Heart Institute is made possible by the funding from Community Health Charities Minnesota and its supporters.” Says Scott, “I’ve realized that if this can happen to someone like me, it’s more common that I realized.  Half of CHCM’s member charities have affected someone in my life.  I want to help spread the word.”

CATHIE PLAEHN

Introduction

Cathie was born and raised in Iowa, and is a retired elementary   teacher.  She married a High School principal, and raised two sons.  She is the proud grandmother of two grandchildren and volunteers for the March of Dimes, both on the March for Babies fundraiser and “doing whatever they need at the time.” 

Cathie’s Story

Cathie’s experience with giving charity began early.   As a child, she saw the March of Dimes raising funds for polio by collecting dimes lined up or “marching” on the city streets.  She also saw the wheelchair the March of Dimes gave her father, who was a polio survivor.

Years later, the March of Dimes came into her life again.  Cathie’s granddaughter was born four months early, weighing just one pound, 8 ounces, only the size of her grandmother’s hand. Thanks to research funded by the March of Dimes, steroids jumpstarted her granddaughter’s tiny lungs, while a second drug, surfactant, protected her lungs.  Cathie knows that her granddaughter would not be alive today without these innovative treatments for premature babies. 

Today her granddaughter is a beautiful 14-month- old child.  While the future repercussions of her early birth are not known, she is healthy and happy, walking and learning to run.  “Many premature babies have major brain, heart and lung issues,” Cathie says.  “We know she is a miracle.”

Other family members currently live with chronic illness.  Her mother was affected by stroke and heart disease while her husband has arthritis.  “You don’t know what’s going to happen.  There is a good chance CHCM’s charities are going to touch you sometime, your child, grandchild, or a parent or grandparent.  Giving to Community Health Charities is like paying ahead, so that you have help when you need it.  Hopefully you won’t.  But it’s there if you need it.”

MARGARET SCHNEIDER

Introduction

Maggie grew up in Traverse City, Michigan, and graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in Music Performance and Psychology.  She has volunteered for two years with Memorial Blood Centers, speaking to groups about blood donation.  She is currently employed as a donor recruitment representative at Memorial Blood Centers and is also a volunteer speaker for Community Health Charities Minnesota.

Maggie's Story

After spending Thanksgiving with her family, Maggie was driving back to college when her car hit a patch of ice.   When Maggie turned to avoid colliding with another vehicle, her car lost control and rolled over eight times.  She suffered critical injuries, including a torn artery, and was immediately airlifted to a Trauma One Hospital.  During the accident, Maggie needed an “enormous” amount of blood.  Maggie has had 16 surgeries to date, with more operations pending.  After taking a year off to recuperate, she went back to the University of Michigan to complete her degree.  Yet she is still recovering and dealing with the repercussions of the accident, three and a half years later.  Maggie volunteers with Memorial Blood Centers because blood transfusions after her accident saved her life, “if that wasn’t available, I know I wouldn’t be here.”

 Maggie benefited from other CHCM member charities.  Her family used CaringBridge during the crisis, and currently a 27-year-old family friend is using it to update loved ones on her fight with liver and colon cancer.  Maggie also suffers from arthritis due to the blunt repetitive trauma to her joints during the accident.  The Arthritis Foundation has been a great resource for information, support and understanding. 

 Maggie didn’t expect to deal with these health issues at such a young age, but is grateful for the support she has received.  “You don’t ever wish this to happen, but if it does happen, there is someone there.  CHCM is really important.  To know that this organization supports charities that can help you and are available if you need it, now or in the future, is priceless.  I never thought this would happen, but to have these charities available and supported by CHCM, made a big difference in my ability to recover.”

Melissa Forrest, Children's Cancer Research Fund

Melissa was introduced to the Children's Cancer Research Fund (CCRF) in 1995, when she was diagnosed with composite lymphoma at the age of 17. After receiving support from CCRF staff during her hospital stays and participating in CCRF's fundraising gala Dawn of the Dream, she became one of the organization's most active members. Melissa speaks at numerous CCRF functions throughout the year and has volunteered as a Care Partner, using her success story to both reassure new patients and their families as well as garner support for CCRF. Melissa's commitment to improving healthcare inspires both her professional life as well as her volunteer work; she is now a pediatric physical therapist at Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare.

Ruby Lanoux, Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America- MN/Dakotas Chapter

Russ Philstrom, Brain Injury Association of MN

Sue Weiner, ALS Association

Ruth Bachman, The Cancer Center at the University of Minnesota

Ruth is a cancer survivor. Diagnosed and treated at the Cancer Center at the University of Minnesota in March of 2003, Ruth's professional, inspiring attitude is a refreshing approach to cancer.  Today, Ruth lives a cancer-free life and acknowledges the value of faith, courage, strength and a sense of humor in the face of cancer. 

Maija Cassidy, March of Dimes

David Chaikin, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Minnesota Chapter

As a person suffering from multiple sclerosis, David is a powerful example of overcoming obstacles and living life against the odds.  As a representative from the MS Society, David is a firsthand example of how a gift to CHCM directly helps people through support services, education and research. 

Jenine Ellingson, United Cerebral Palsy of Minnesota

Mary Keithahn, Alzheimer's Association Minnesota-North Dakota

Doug Milbrath, American Liver Foundation

Lisa Ovsak, Children's Cancer Research Fund

Bill Roush, Children's Cancer Research Fund

Lois Untinen, ALS Association, Minnesota Chapter

 

Lee Zurek, The ALS Association, Minnesota Chapter

When Lee's partner, Susan, was diagnosed with ALS, the ALS Association was an endless source of information and support.  Lee now speaks on behalf of the organization's support services and the value of a workplace donation.  Although ALS remains a mysterious and tragic disease, Lee is a testament to the importance of giving.