Recipient Stories

Everyone knows what makes little boys grow—equal parts of sunshine, fresh air and love. Three-year-old Mathew has an abundance of love, but until recently he wasn’t getting much of the other two ingredients. Mathew has very little muscle tone and almost no control over his body. He can’t communicate and he relies on his mother, Leah, for constant care. Leah has Multiple Sclerosis. Doctors told her she’d benefit from walking outside too, but she no longer has the strength to manage Mathew’s wheelchair. The solution was a Telemiracle built for two—a Kimba Spring Plus stroller. It’s lightweight, folds in one easy step and has supports to help Mathew sit up. When the Foundation told Leah the news, it was like a breath of fresh air.

Eaglestone Lodge wants residents to feel like they’re living in their own homes. It’s not an easy task since they only have one tub for everyone. Many of the residents found the tub difficult to lower themselves into and they had trouble supporting themselves once they were in. When asked what they would prefer, they said they’d like something more accessible, more comfortable and with less chance of slipping. A walk-in tub was the perfect solution—and it was the perfect way to put Telemiracle dollars to good use.

Imagine if, every time you wanted to leave the house, you had to plan it two weeks ahead of time. That’s what it was like for the residents of the Regina Lutheran Home. When they wanted to go out, they had to book a community access bus two weeks in advance. Now, with the help of the Kinsmen Telemiracle Foundation, they have their own handi-van – and they’ve named it the Eagle’s Wing. Staff and residents alike now have the freedom to be more spontaneous when it comes to outings, whether they’re for practical reasons or just for fun.

Gord is an acoustic guitarist and, considering he’s had vision problems since he was born, it’s no easy task. Trying to make a living at his craft requires a lot of reading – from the menus on his recording equipment to sheet music. He tried a variety of magnifying devices. He set up his computer to read text back to him. He tried increasing the type size and changing the colour. But as he gets older, the little vision he has is blurring more. Kinsmen Telemiracle Foundation granted Gord funding for a more advanced magnifier called an Aroga Acrobat LCD. The news was music to Gord’s ears … and eyes.

It’s easy to take things for granted – like being able to lean back in a chair for a bit of a rest, tilting back in the dentist’s chair to have work done on your teeth, laying back on the examination table at the doctor’s office. Until recently, Greg couldn’t do any of these things. He’s been living with the challenge of multiple sclerosis for 20 years and every day, morning to night, he sits in his wheelchair. Kinsmen Telemiracle Foundation provided Greg with a tilting wheelchair and it’s made a world of difference.

 Life’s thrown a few curve balls at Clive, starting with a car accident in 1976. Numerous surgeries and a series of other health complications have severely limited his mobility. Thanks to donations made to Telemiracle, the Kinsmen Telemiracle Foundation was able to purchase a scooter and a walker for Clive. “The scooter is my freedom to come and go as needed,” says Clive. “That includes shopping, appointments, visiting and recreation. In fact, it’s my legs when I go out.”

Cheryl first approached the Kinsmen Telemiracle Foundation in 1999 when she needed a heart transplant. The foundation provided her with resources for travel, food and accommodations. Nine years later, her body rejected her heart and once again she found herself on the transplant list. And once again, the foundation was there to help her family carry the burden of the additional expenses. In a letter to the foundation, Cheryl’s mother-in-law writes, “I wish you could have peeked in our windows at Christmas and watched as we gave thanks for this miracle. There were 20 of us around the table and all of the gifts under the tree didn’t compare to the one sitting next to our son.”

Kalysta knows what a Telemiracle feels like. She’s experienced a few. She has a lot of medical needs and requires constant care. The Kinsmen Telemiracle Foundation first came into her life when she needed to go to Saskatoon’s Royal University Hospital for treatment. Her mom, Tammie, was able to stay at the Ronald McDonald House for three weeks and her room, food and transportation were paid for with donations to Telemiracle. Since then, the Kinsmen Telemiracle Foundation has provided resources for several trips to specialists and neurologists. The foundation also paid for a ceiling lift so that Kalysta can receive Homecare. That gives Tammie four hours every week to run errands. Kalysta may be a big fan of Telemiracle, but we’re even bigger fans of Kalysta!

While some parents look forward to their kids moving out after high school, Sylene’s parents are hoping she’ll stay with them for a long time. The beautiful 18-year-old high school student is a joy to have around. Until recently, it looked like she would have to move into a special care home to receive the care she needs. Sylene has cerebral palsy, developmental delay and a seizure disorder. Before a move became necessary, she and her parents received the gift of a ceiling track system from the Kinsmen Telemiracle Foundation. Now Sylene can continue to live at home. With the lift, her parents can move her around the house and attend to her daily needs without risk of injury to Sylene or themselves. Sylene’s miracle is one of many examples of Saskatchewan people making miracles happen.

Think about how easy it is to get around; you just hop in the car and drive to the store, the post office or the hockey game. Mike does that too, but until recently it wasn’t so easy for him. He drives a minivan that he can pull his wheelchair into, but he had to lift himself onto the floor of the van, pull the chair in behind him, and slide over to lift himself into the driver’s seat. It was hard on his shoulders, not to mention his pants, to go through this exercise every time he went somewhere. Kinsmen Telemiracle Foundation provided him with a wheelchair lift and now – whether he’s going cross-country skiing, wheelchair racing, hunting, fishing, waterskiing or swimming – 23-year-old Mike just wheels in, gets in the driver’s seat and takes off. That’s the kind of miracle that comes from your donations to Telemiracle!

At 25 weeks pregnant, Karrah started to go into labour. She was flown to Saskatoon where her twin sons were born. The boys each weighed less than two pounds and would have to stay at the hospital for two-and-a-half months. Kinsmen Telemiracle Foundation provided Karrah and her husband with funding to remain with the boys, covering travel, meals and accommodations. Despite having their parents near, the boys struggled and young Ethan couldn’t hang on. When he left his short life, though, he seemed to give his remaining strength to his brother Trayce. While the Foundation was able to help the family with their stay in Saskatoon and their return home where Trayce is growing into a little man, Ethan left a miracle of his own.

It’s been a complicated few years for Lindsay. In February 2005, she fell and broke her kneecap.  She had to move from her group home to the hospital, where she spent 100 days fighting complications and infection. When she finally returned home, she started to make progress walking again. That was when she fell and broke her other kneecap. The progress she had made earlier didn’t repeat itself and, two years later, she was still unable to walk or bear weight on either leg. That was when the Kinsmen Telemiracle Foundation provided 31-year-old Lindsay with a standing frame and track system. It’s helping her prevent skin breakdown, improve her posture and circulation, reduce muscle spasms and, most importantly, bear weight on her legs and begin to walk again. Thanks to donations made to Telemiracle, Lindsay is walking the road to recovery. 

Life has dealt Joe more than his share of health issues, from cardiovascular problems to renal failure. To improve his health, Joe had to get out of his wheelchair and start walking again. To help him accomplish his goal, Kinsmen Telemiracle Foundation provided him with a walker. It helped to get Joe up and about and put him on the road to recovery. He’s now renewing a social life he once enjoyed, making long overdue visits to friends and family, and he’s lost 150 pounds. He’s even starting to walk unassisted. You could say Joe’s “telemiracle” helped him create his own miracle.

Luther Special Care Home has been providing care for people with special needs for many years. As time goes on, facilities wear out and require upgrades, improvements and expansions. When it became apparent that Luther would need to add two new tubs, a floor lift and a ceiling track, they applied to the Kinsmen Telemiracle Foundation and received a grant to cover the costs. “Bathing is an essential element of home living,” says LutherCare Chief Executive Officer Vivienne Hauck, “and this new equipment will help us make bath time a comfortable and enjoyable part of life for residents.” Helping special care homes continue to provide their valuable services is a miracle that will happen again and again, with your continued support of Telemiracle.

How much do we rely on our ability to read? Looking at the alarm clock when we open our eyes. Reading the bathroom scale on the way to the shower. Scanning the headlines of the newspaper before browsing through the selection of cereals. And that’s in the first 10 minutes of the day. David hasn’t been able to read anything since he was in high school. That was when he developed the glaucoma that left him legally blind and unable to read bank statements, recipes, even the phone book. Kinsmen Telemiracle Foundation recently changed all that by providing David with a specialized closed-circuit television (CCTV) system. It uses a stand-mounted video camera to project a magnified image onto a video monitor, enabling David to be more independent … and to enjoy a good book.

Agnes received her first miracle nine years ago when Kinsmen Telemiracle Foundation gave her a scooter. Suddenly she was able to take herself to the park, the mall, the doctor’s office. She regained her independence and became less reliant on her family. Recently, she wrote to the Foundation to ask them to consider replacing the well-cared-for, well-used piece of equipment. In her letter she said, “I can’t walk anywhere outside by myself. It’s like my left leg is not attached to my brain! With a scooter, my life is such fun and my children don’t have to worry about me, or take care of me. I can come and go as I please.” Kinsmen Telemiracle Foundation made sure that Agnes’ miracle continued.