Hi there, My name is Kara Hendrick and I reside in Queensbury NY. I am a mom raising 7 children. In Oct of 2004 I was blessed to have a set of Identical twin boys, born at 29 weeks. Our family was in the middle of building a new home as my husband had recently been transferred back to our home...

Hi there, My name is Kara Hendrick and I reside in Queensbury NY. I am a mom raising 7 children. In Oct of 2004 I was blessed to have a set of Identical twin boys, born at 29 weeks. Our family was in the middle of building a new home as my husband had recently been transferred back to our hometown area. The twins lungs were so premature that they were sent to a NICU that was 60 miles away. The boys were in the NICU for close to 6 months but seemed like forever. I can't even begin to explain the way we had to shuffle our lives around...taking care of the 5 children at home with school work, holidays,etc and then in the middle of the night driving and hour each way for feedings and hold our so tiny babies as well as my husband keeping down his full time job.... When the boys were sent home, our lives really turned upside down . Our home was not near being ready, but we did what we could just to pass inspection to get in... Raising 7 children in the basement of my in laws home was not easy. Needless to say, the boys medical needs and bills were killing us. My heart broke for my other children as they were faced to pay the price for me having premature babies...no longer able to do extra activities, no more eating out, and alot of time was spent on the boys...I have to say, as tough as it was, I had all my babies home and I couldn't have been happier.. In 2006 we found out that one of the twins, Keegan was profoundly deaf. Once again, life as we had gotten to know it, was flipped upside down. After MANY Dr's appts, testing and many trips to different hospitals, Keegan was Diagnosed with something called Auditory Neuropathy and Kernicterus...Kernicterus is brain damage caused by Jaundice, which goes hand and hand with AN, a form of deafness. It took us a long time to find out what he actually had and how this happened. And still til this day, it's hard for us to find others to help with his needs as there is no one in our area with the same thing. I have meet others through facebook as well as a Auditory Neuropathy Conference in Tampa FL. These other families who's children face these same medical issues, some more extreme and others not as bad, are heartbreaking but wach of us and these amazing kids give us EVERYDAY HOPE...

I had made Keegan a promise, to NEVER allow him to grow up lonely or feel different than his Identical twin brother Jett... I had once heard deafness can be lonely as people shy away from the deaf, in fear that they won't understand what they are trying to say. I also decided that I never wanted another family to endure the struggles we were going through, so i decided to start a fund for families in need of hearing aides, cochlear implants, Medicines, or even Co pays. We are VERY grateful to an amazing couple who helped us get the ball rolling and donated $5000. Thrilled to say the least...it was around the same time of starting the fund when my husband and I then learned about a local Association called... Association for the Hearing Impaired, which is located here in Queensbury NY. Every year they hold their big annual fundraiser which is called Be A Hear-O Dinner/Auction. The AFTHI helps raise awareness as well as, offers a loaner program to the deaf and their families, such as Sign language books, DVDs, Phones, FM Systems, etc..I knew in my heart that I wanted myself and family to help this assoc. as I know someday this maybe a safe place for Keegan to come to when he is feeling alone or in need of something... I can't describe the everyday heartache i have for Keegan... I pray he never resents any choices we have to make for him, nor do I want him to go through life lonely especially when i know most twins alone have amazing bonds, but with Keegan's health issues and his twin not having any, I fear they won't have it. Also we don't reside in a community with alot of deaf or hard of hearing people, matter a fact I know only of one other child that is Deaf in one ear. I will do whatever I can to make sure I stay true to that promise I had once made my son. So needless to say, My family and I will do whatever we can to help raise money and awareness for theAFTHI. Recently, my family decided to hold a Returnable Bottle Drive in our local schools parking lot...We raised $550. No not alot but every dollar will help them keep their doors open....

The reason I am writing this letter is really not about my son, but because there is a local high school, by the name of South Glens Falls Senior High, in South Glens Falls NY, that each year in March hold a Marathon Dance. I too graduated from South High myself back in 1991 and the biggest memories i have, are of the Marathon Dances. The South High Marathon Dance is a charitable event held every March in the small town. Students at SGF High School, grades 9-12, gather to raise money and dance for an amazing 28 hours straight, all in the name of local people and charities who need help...

Last year I wrote the school and explain my sons diagnoses and what our goals and missions were, hoping they would be willing to add our son as a Recipient. Well they did.. When we got word that Keegan would be part of it, i can't explain the feeling we got... I had felt so alone the past 3 years with no one understanding my sons special needs or even his diagnoses. Matter a fact, because my son does learn sign language at school, but our family can not afford to attend classes, we struggle with simple communication to our own son right here in our home. In my letter to the school, I wasn't really asking for anything for my son, or for all his outstanding medical bills, (but believe me, we sure could have used it)... But i wanted to make sure that we could help other families that will someday be walking down that same path we had once traveled... Hearing aides, batteries, Fm systems, sign language classes, meds, co pays, etc are not covered at all by insurances. Unless ones family has to endure this, no one will ever understand what it can do to a family. It truly had cost us alot of pain,alot of time, alot of work and financially has sunk us.. but with that being said, I can honestly say, I am SO PROUD to have a deaf son.

Well needless to say, the Dancers danced their hearts away for 17 Recipients last year... The grand total raised was $260 thousand dollars...SIMPLY AMAZING..The following month the SHMD sent us a check for $5,000 as they split the monies up as they feel each cause is in need of... I couldn't have been happier, just knowing that I was sharing Keegan's journey and letting others know that Deafness is not an easy thing to live with and learning sign language is not so hard to learn. I was able to thank them for helping me stay true to my promise, something that I will always do..

Well this years dance is taken place on March 5-6 and after talking to a member of the committee today, I asked what "THE HENDRICK" family can do to pay it forward with this years event. She said simply" Spread the word of this years upcoming dance". SO I AM...They have not yet announced who they have chosen too be 2010 recipients but I am sure they have some wonderful people and causes to help support...
They do have a website and it is,
www.shmd.org

The reason I also feel so strong with sharing this amazing story with you and in hopes to share it with the not only the "locals"but with the so many others, is because of this whole Haiti disaster, I know so many are giving and I too wish i could do more to help those lives over there, but in recent days i have also heard alot of negative talk about how we need to worry about our own, and how we "Americans" need to stick with helping each other here in our own country.. AND THERE ARE PEOPLE AND PLACES THAT DO JUST THAT.... PLEASE if you could help me honor this school, these students and this community it would mean so much. I can't afford to give monetary support but I can share with the world, an amazing story of a community, a school district and over 700 children that are learning how to give and help others without asking anything in return right here in the US.. This school district is teaching something that I feel should be taught all around the world..

THANK YOU for taking the time to read me letter.
Sincerely,
Kara
"Dancing with your Feet is one thing, BUT dancing with your heart is another"

I was living the single lifestyle and also eating unhealthy, w hen I found out I had colon cancer. I refused to take the diagnosis as a death sentence. Instead, I chose to find doctors who could offer me a better prognosis and medical treatment that would save my sphincter muscle. In search...

I was living the single lifestyle and also eating unhealthy, w hen I found out I had colon cancer. I refused to take the diagnosis as a death sentence. Instead, I chose to find doctors who could offer me a better prognosis and medical treatment that would save my sphincter muscle. In search of the right doctors, I walked the halls of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center until I found a colon specialist. In surgery, 18 inches of my colon was removed, and my sphincter muscle was saved, which restored my hope for a normal life.

I became one of the lucky ones, a cancer survivor. Now, my wife makes sure I exercise and eat healthy. She cut out the fried foods and makes me eat lots of vegetables.
(smile)

While walking the halls of the Medical Center, as part of my recovery regimen, I saw children experiencing cancer in many ways. This experience changed my life forever. Seeing some kids alone during their cancer battles inspired me to start the Lifedriven Foundation. Now, my wife and I inspire kids to believe that miracles do come true by taking them and their families to Disneyland.

To be a part of this experience, putting smiles on faces and positive memories in the hearts and minds of amazing, brave children, inspiring them during their cancer battles, to believe that miracles do come true, is a beautiful thing. It gave my cancer battle purpose and helped me understand how my life has changed for the better.

I would like to share this story with America to grant Lifedriven Miracles experiences to children with cancer nationally.

I would like to see a frank discussion of the doctors' opinions on health care reform from a medical point of view and not a political point of view. I would like it to be free of special interest or sponsors official positions on health care reform. I believe many viewers here way too much ...

I would like to see a frank discussion of the doctors' opinions on health care reform from a medical point of view and not a political point of view. I would like it to be free of special interest or sponsors official positions on health care reform. I believe many viewers here way too much political rhetoric and too little from the medical field. If the doctors are completely honest with their feelings, chances are they will have different opinions even among themselves. This would be fine as long as the viewers are getting their perspective to help us have a better understanding of their feelings on the subject. What made me interested more on the subject was listening to a doctor friend who has been in the medical field for thirty years and is very depressed about his self-employment family practice in a small rural town in southern Illinois. I tried to comfort him but really had no answers for him. His issues with his practice is multiple and if you want more details on the issue I would be glad to share, or I am sure he would be glad to share. Thank you for listening and discussing this very important issue on your show in advance. Bernie Bryant

There was a story on local news in Texas or 60 Minutes or Dateline or 20/20 about how unused medications in nursing homes of patients who die are often flushed down the toilet.

Also, I personally have seen persons set curb side for large quantity trash day pick up days once a month: ...

There was a story on local news in Texas or 60 Minutes or Dateline or 20/20 about how unused medications in nursing homes of patients who die are often flushed down the toilet.

Also, I personally have seen persons set curb side for large quantity trash day pick up days once a month: Unused IV solutions and paraphernalia and unused medications and respiratory paraphernalia still in packaging etc. etc. etc. First of all, hazardous to set curbside in case children get into.

As a good steward venture I use to and occasionally still straighten up if persons have made a mess of a person's yard going through things set curb side. I do this while looking for books people throw away to rescue from the landfill. One day, and not the first time, I saw LOTS of medications curbside. When I got permission to get the books there the woman said, "Any of those medications you or a loved one need take because I know they're expensive." I just expressed not a good idea to set curbside in case children get into.

Another time in front of a gynecologists home were boxes and boxes full of various calcium and other vitamin supplement samples not outdated yet ruined from sitting out in the summer sun. Another place about 20 cases of unused high nutritional drinks set curbside in hot sun. All had not expired.

Needless to say ALL these items could have been used in impoverished countries like Haiti. Or even could be used in USA where over 40 million uninsured persons go without medical care and/or necessary medications or bankrupt trying to acquire said care and medications.

It would behoove us all to become better stewards of the earth and one another in USA and beyond. There is really no excuse for there not being a better coordinated effort to recycle medications. There's no excuse that donations are thrown away for charities either "since no place to store" and again another prime example of a coordinated effort to share among charities... Enough is thrown away that could be used, refurbished or recycled to put the USA back in the black.

Yet we muddle along catatonic overproducing and wasting and sooner or later there'll be a day of reckoning we'd been more frugal. Perhaps, that day is already here to find a better way for a better today. As Dr. Phil says, "starting a change reaction" and another person said by "being the change you want to see." Me too. We too.

An event where persons come to donate musical instruments no longer being used. YES! People would LOVE to go to an event Jordan McGraw and his French Bulldog Pigg were at. I hope that LKRAA will also provide classes to tune & refurbish musical instruments. Stop by soon & you may ha...

An event where persons come to donate musical instruments no longer being used. YES! People would LOVE to go to an event Jordan McGraw and his French Bulldog Pigg were at. I hope that LKRAA will also provide classes to tune & refurbish musical instruments. Stop by soon & you may have my vintage repadded (I think it is Wurlitzer) wood clarinet as a donation.

Don't be late for that important date as I guarantee you that right now, right this minute a parent who took clarinet in school wishes had the money to get their child a wood clarinet. Or... a child on their own would like to learn to play clarinet. Even clarinet players rock. I have seen enough fine wood & ivory key vintage and antique pianos "FREE or dump bound" on Craigslist across USA listed under FREE under FOR SALE category to begin music classes on fine pianos at YMCA's & other youth programs like LKRAA across USA.

There's not much sadder than fine wood music instruments wasting landfill space or sitting in garages deteriorating that IF persons could donate would. That's why it is so important to teach the trade of refurbishing because vintage and antique instruments are often made of high grade materials.

BTW: American Idol Danny Gokey is all for music programs for youth too with his charity "Sophia's Heart" in memory of his wife. I first offered clarinet to him and suggested to American Idol to hold these musical donation events yet never heard back Spring 2009. I doubt they ever even saw my suggestions since get so much email. I hope y'all do because an excellent idea. I've already had ideas of mine used by SEARS & Neiman Marcus at North Park Mall and have thank you letters from them. Though, never received any monetary compensation which would be nice. However, what good is an idea if not shared though? And the best way to invest in America is to invest in Americans (that holds true for every ccuntry).

Sporting & concert arenas across USA and beyond provide access to Red Cross et al reputable charities to hold a HUGE garage sale. All proceeds can go to Red Cross or THE DR. PHIL FOUNDATION or be divided among all qualifying charities. Numbers on tickets could be give to all charities th...

Sporting & concert arenas across USA and beyond provide access to Red Cross et al reputable charities to hold a HUGE garage sale. All proceeds can go to Red Cross or THE DR. PHIL FOUNDATION or be divided among all qualifying charities. Numbers on tickets could be give to all charities that prove are legal legitimate charities from SPCA to RED CROSS to SERVICE DOG charities to DR. PHIL FOUNDATION divide what doesn't sell with ONLY stipulation to not take more than can store so ZERO is thrown away.

Many persons like myself have items to donate that when sold translate into cash. I know some say to have a garage sale yet the problem is in Dallas, now, you cannot put up signs except in your own yard w/o a $1,000 fine. It just has to be luck someone is driving down the street.

Sadly, eyewitness account, I have seen charities throwing away items in good to mint condition since no place to store... over a hundred books a week. Some autographed. Some items vintage, some antique. I asked could I have the books thrown out each week and told, "No, but could have everything for 2 to 3 cents a pound IF took everything." I had no place to store yet told as many as I could about that offer.