Stories of Hope

Congenital Heart Disease

Mark Cooper I was born with congenital heart disease and had my mitral valve replaced twice as a child. I also had a hole in my heart that was repaired. Read More >

Susan Talve I am the mother of three amazing children. My 18-year-old daughter, Adina, was born with congenital heart disease -- she has only one ventricle -- and she's had four major heart surgeries. Read More >

Linda Horner My story is full of what some people call “coincidences.” Nine years ago, I thought I was in perfect health. I had just taken out a new life insurance policy and passed a full examination with flying colors. Read More >

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Diabetes

Meagan Brissette August 13, 2000, was a day I will never forget. It was the day I found myself in the hospital being told my life was about to forever change. Read More >

Bobbi Davis It was the evening of August 15, 2003, just two months after my daughter KayLee had turned 2 years old. Read More >

Kathleen Petrillo On July 24, 1986, my neck was broken as a result of a car accident. I was told that spinal fusion of my first two vertebrae was my only chance for a cure and that there was a risk of death ... Read More >

Dr. F. Sessions Cole As a physician who works daily with premature babies and babies with birth defects, and as a father of a child who has Type 1 Diabetes, I strongly support the right of all Missouri patients ... Read More >

Jana Byington-Smith Mom of Mick, age 7 Our son Mick was 3 years old when we took a family trip by car to Miami from St. Louis. Soon after we crossed into Illinois, things started to go terribly wrong. Read More >

Pat Jackson My Type 1 diabetic son Chris is 17 now and is the picture of health, but in an event like Hurricane Katrina or an earthquake, he would not live more than a few days if he could not get to his insulin. Read More >

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Epidermolysis Bullosa

Tammy Blattel On December 14, 1998, I gave birth to my second child, Miranda, by cesarean section, a 7-pound, 4-ounce beauty; but something was wrong. Read More >

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Familial Adenoma Polyposis

Jean Forbes My mother died from colon cancer caused by Familial Adenoma Polyposis (FAP). I was diagnosed with the disease at age 15 and had a total colonectomy 31 years ago. Read More >

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Multiple Sclerosis

Rachel Colbeck My dad and my sister, Lindsey, both have multiple sclerosis. In addition, my aunt on my mom's side was just diagnosed with MS. Read More >

Shannon Murray Multiple Sclerosis. That was my diagnosis nearly ten years ago. Since that day, my children and I have been learning to make adjustments to our lives. Read More >

Delbert Mitchell, Jr. I served in the U.S. Navy from 1969 to 1971. While sailing in Southeast Asia onboard the USS Regulus, AF57, we were caught in a typhoon. Twenty-eight vessels sank in that storm. Read More >

Jeff Eisen My younger brother, Tom Eisen, is a graduate of Ladue High School (class of 1971) in suburban St. Louis and earned his degree in journalism from the University of Missouri in 1975. Read More >

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Optic Nerve Hypoplasia

Dawn Barlett I am the mother of three beautiful children ages 3, 4 and 11. My 4-year-old daughter Rylea has a condition known as optic nerve hypoplasia (ONH) and the result for her is complete blindness. Read More >

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Parkinson's Disease

Diana L. Gray, M.D. I, like many other supporters of the Missouri Coalition for Lifesaving Cures, have multiple reasons to advocate for the advancement of stem cell research. Read More >

Diana Ramaeker In September of 2000, at the age of 39, I was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. I was an extremely active farmer, wife and mother of an eleven-year-old daughter. I worked side by side with my husband on our dairy farm every day. Read More >

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Sickle Cell Disease

Caroline Douglas April 12, 1986, was one of the happiest days of my life. My son Victor was placed in my arms and for the very first time I knew what true love was. Two weeks later, it was discovered that Victor had sickle cell disease. Read More >

Michael Trent Johnson, Chaplain As a 45-year-old living with sickle cell disease, I know how important it is for Missourians to support stem cell research. I am blessed to be able to work and provide for a family in spite of the many obstacles sickle cell throws my way. Read More >

Winfred Collier My granddaughter Cydney is three years old. She is beautiful, smart, the love of my life and she also has sickle cell disease. This life threatening disease has caused significant changes for our family. Read More >

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Spina Bifida

Jennifer Stewart Our son, Brandon, was born with Spina Bifida, which also entails hydrocephalus and neurogenic bladder and bowel. Spina Bifida is one of the most common and severe birth defects compatible with life. Read More >

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Spinal Cord Injury

Heather Tice It was a nice day on July 12th of 2005, and like any other teenager, I wanted to just get away from home and hang out with my friends! We were just driving around Belton. Read More >

Jeff McCaffrey In the fall of 2002, I was a college freshman, playing football at the U.S. Air Force Academy. A cadet, my aspirations were to graduate and serve as a commissioned officer. I had every intention of leading a life of leadership and responsibility. Read More >

Stanley D. Brown I was injured while on active duty in the Army almost 10 years ago in an automobile accident. Stone sober on a bright Sunday afternoon, I swerved to miss a vehicle and rolled my car. Read More >

Micki and Frank LaVres It was September 15, 1990, a beautiful Southern California day. Frank was participating in the final race of the GFI Motocross series in Marysville, California. It had been a long series, racing every weekend for months. Read More >

Katrine Seghetti-Mayhew Those of us who are mothers we know what it's like to carry our child for nine months; giving thought to everything we do ... knowing each and every choice has an impact on the child we're carrying. Read More >

Joe Rhea September 11, 1984, is a day my life changed forever. While playing junior-high football, I broke my neck and was left paralyzed from the neck down. My family and I were told, "be prepared for Joe to spend the rest of his life in a wheel chair." I was 14 years old. Read More >

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Macular Degeneration

Wayne Breneman I always loved to work, and I worked hard all my life. I was a car salesman No. 1 in the state and No. 2 in the entire country! Guess I love people. I’d still be working today had I not lost my eyesight to macular degeneration. Read More >

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Breast Cancer

Marguerite Ellis My sister was between jobs when she first found the lump in her breast, and she couldn’t afford medical care without insurance. She was starting a new job soon but had to wait for the insurance to kick in. Read More >

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