TJC Mothers of the Year
Submitted by Todd Hash on Fri, 04/30/2010 - 12:54pm.
Every Mother’s Day the Tennessee Justice Center honors its Mothers of the Year. We choose as many as six women per year who, in the midst of their own family’s medical crisis, speak out to help other families. These are parents who persistently advocate for not only their own children, but all children in need of health care.
Our staff recruits volunteer photographers, providing our honorees with framed family photos in addition to “Mother of the Year” certificates. This year, we continue a new tradition - the second annual reception and ceremony honoring the mothers in person. Here are their stories.
Evelyn Human
When TennCare decided to sharply limit home health care for all adults on the program in the fall of 2008, Evelyn Human decided that she was not going to let her son’s care be cut without a fight. Her son, John, is mentally retarded. At 25 years old, he has the mental capacity of a small child. He requires constant care, almost continuous suctioning to keep his airways clear, and assistance with all aspects of his life. He had been receiving enough in-home nursing care from TennCare for his mother to work and provide for the family. TennCare’s new rules, however, said that his in-home nursing hours would be capped at 35 hours per week. With only 35 hours, John would be left unattended for long stretches, and could aspirate from lack of suctioning.
To read all of Evelyn's story.
Patricia Womac
Ms. Womac’s daughter, seven-year-old Hannah, suffers from Rett Syndrome, a rare and devastating disorder of the nervous system that renders her incontinent and unable to speak or walk on her own. Rett Syndrome occurs mostly in girls and is occurs in one in every 10,000 - 23,000 female births. Due to these conditions, plus difficulty breathing and frequent seizures, Hannah receives nursing care through TennCare. Even with nurses, Hannah’s mother cares for her full-time – lifting, bathing, and feeding Hannah and fighting to make sure she gets what she needs.
Hannah’s caregivers take joy in her small pleasures and accomplishments. She loves to watch cartoons including “Miss Spider’s Sunny Patch Kids” – a show about a family of bugs who live in the Hollow Tree.
To read all of Patricia's story.
Maria Vasquez
Eleven-year-old Henry Vasquez has severe Asperger’s Syndrome, a
development disorder on the Autism spectrum. His anxiety and
self-harming behaviors prompted Henry’s doctor to order Applied
Behavioral Analysis (ABA) therapy, a treatment for children with
Asperger’s which involves family members. Asperger’s affects Henry’s
emotions and his speech – he stutters and can't get words out.
Henry’s mother, Maria, speaks only Spanish, and requires an interpreter to participate in her son’s hands-on ABA treatment. But a TennCare HMO told the family that it would only cover interpretation services over the phone, not hands-on. TennCare’s offer was not only ineffective for the Vasquezes, but a violation of their rights.
