Community Health Charities of Nebraska

Trudy Meyer was recently awarded the United Way/CHC-NE Lincoln Speaker’s Impact Award at United Way’s annual meeting. Two years ago, she lost her husband, Brad, to Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). She describes her husband as a “glass half-full” kind of guy. He was a true family man who would trade a night out with the guys for a night with his family anytime. And, even until the very end, before ALS took his life at the age of 40, Brad kept his strong sense of humor and was cracking jokes.

It is these qualities that have Trudy on a mission to not let her husband be forgotten. She wants to make sure their twin 9-year old sons remember their dad. And she wants other Nebraska families fighting this devastating disease to know that with the help of a hospice team and a local ALS Association, they don’t have to fight it alone.

“Brad was too good of a man and he suffered too much and fought too hard for everything to be forgotten. If I can help somebody else and make bizarre sense of why it happened, then it wasn’t all for nothing,” said Trudy.

Thank You Omaha and Lincoln Area United Way Donors!
A special thanks to workplace donors who contributed to the United Way of the Midlands and United Way of Lincoln and Lancaster County campaigns. Community Health Charities of Nebraska is a fundraising partner with these two United Way federations, and our health agency members benefit from United Way contributions made to the United Way Fund. Thanks to all who participated in their workplace campaigns.

NATIONAL NEWS

MDA Volunteer Vance Taylor Provides Help, Hope and Knowledge – A Video Podcast

An accomplished public speaker and a long-time volunteer for MDA, Vance Taylor co-hosts the regional broadcast of the Jerry Lewis MDA (Muscular Dystrophy Association) Labor Day Telethon for the Washington, DC area. Vance is all to familiar with the many challenging aspects of living with a neuromuscular disorder and understands that where to turn for credible information can be a major obstacle for many. Through its Health Matters at Work^® program, Community Health Charities has partnered with MDA’s Vance Taylor in this video podcast to provide help, hope and knowledge for patients and their families who are affected by a neuromuscular disease. Click here to view this important video podcast.

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Supports innovative research to control and cure cystic fibrosis. Provides specialized medical care through nationwide network of centers; offers pharmacy and other patient services.

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Meet David Tarnow

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Pedaling 500 miles in a week would be a major achievement for any adult, but for David Tarnow, diagnosed with CF at age 3, it’s an even greater accomplishment. Over the past five years, David has channeled his love of cycling into a major fund-raising event called Dave’s Cycle for a Cure, raising nearly $80,000 for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. David, now 20 and a sophomore at Louisiana State University, attributes his “can do” attitude and sunny outlook to his parents, who inspired him to tackle challenges with enthusiasm. “As far as I was concerned, I was a perfectly normal child,” says David. “To this day, I don’t wake up every morning and mourn over my condition. I want to face every day with joy and purpose.” Incredible Passion David also credits Jennifer Board, who had CF, for his optimistic approach to life. A friend of the Tarnow family, Jennifer possessed an incredible passion for life, he says. “She never let any of the realities of the disease affect her spirits. When Jennifer lost her battle with CF at age 22, David was in the eighth grade. “I found myself thinking I’d been very fortunate to be healthy thus far,” he says. “I decided to find a way to start raising money for the CF Foundation in order to help bring us that much closer to finding a cure.” With input and encouragement from his Aunt Karen, also an avid cyclist, Dave’s Cycle for a Cure was born.

Each year since 2003, David, along with family and friends, has cycled between 200 and 500 miles in four or five days on behalf of the CF Foundation . His rides have taken him along the Washington and Oregon coasts and along the Natchez Trace from Nashville to Baton Rouge. This year’s ride in June took place in Northern California. True Heroes Sporting custom bike jerseys emblazoned with the letters "CF" on the sleeves and talking to curious folks along the way, the cycling group—including David’s mom and dad—also raises awareness of the disease. David conducts an extensive letter-writing campaign to raise funds to support the Foundation's mission. David hopes to raise about $20,000 from the 2008 ride. When asked who his heroes are, David talks about his one and only hospital stay two years ago, “just a little tune-up,” he calls it. Looking around him, David says, he saw little kids 3, 4 and 5 years old with 20 percent lung function and awaiting transplants, but who still projected a sense of happiness and excitement. “Those are my heroes,” David says. “And everyone out there with CF living their lives with fervor and passion.” He adds, “The slogan on my Web site is ‘saving lives, one mile at a time.’ With every mile we bike, we’re more committed to finding a cure for CF.”

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