Rebecca Smith

John and Donna LaBelle are from Fulton, and we sat down in September at an event called “The Art of the Scar” that was hosted by the Missouri Kidney Program.

When John was in his early twenties in the 1980s, he unexpectedly experienced kidney failure.  Not long after, in 1981, John underwent a kidney transplant where they also removed his spleen.

They spoke about how even 37 years after his successful kidney transplant, there are still health concerns they face every day.

Missouri Health Talks gathers Missourians’ stories of access to healthcare in their own words. You can view more conversations at missourihealthtalks.org. 

Laurie Hines and Ted Glasgow have been together for many years. Ted is an accomplished bodybuilder - a six-time Mr. Missouri – but a few years ago he experienced kidney failure.

Ted was on dialysis for several years, but now Laurie is a living kidney donor and the director of the Missouri Kidney Program, and Ted is two and a half years post-transplant.

They reflect on their experiences and give some advice for others facing dialysis and organ transplants.

Missouri Health Talks gathers Missourians’ stories of access to healthcare in their own words. You can view more conversations at missourihealthtalks.org. 

Mark Kirchhoff is the homeless youth program coordinator for Rainbow House in Columbia, and Kelsey Louder is the former shelter director.

They spoke about the misconceptions others may have about what homelessness in a youth population looks like.

Missouri Health Talks gathers Missourians’ stories of access to healthcare in their own words. You can view more conversations at missourihealthtalks.org. 

Rebekah Hasty from Richland, Missouri, traveled nearly four hours to Pere Marquette state park outside Grafton, Illinois. She had brought her partner, Shane Worley, as well as their two grandchildren, Symphony and Jimi, to a regional family meetup for individuals affected by Zellweger Spectrum Disorder.

There were many activities planned that weekend including a river cruise, art projects and simply sitting around and talking about family members who are affected by this rare disorder.   

Leona Greer and Laura Goddard both work at the Randolph County Health Department in Moberly. Leona is the Nutrition, Breastfeeding and WIC Coordinator, and Laura is the lead secretary in the clinic.

They spoke about how programs like the new “Babies at Work” program the health department is piloting could benefit other families and other businesses.

Missouri Health Talks gathers Missourians’ stories of access to healthcare in their own words. You can view more conversations at missourihealthtalks.org.

Leona Greer and Laura Goddard both work at the Randolph County Health Department in Moberly. Leona is the Nutrition, Breastfeeding and WIC Coordinator, and Laura is the lead secretary in the clinic.

Laura has an infant daughter, Anna, that she was able to bring to work with her for the first several months through the new “Babies at Work” program that the health department is piloting.

Missouri Health Talks gathers Missourians’ stories of access to healthcare in their own words. You can view more conversations at missourihealthtalks.org. 

DeAnna Quietwater Noriega and Gretchen Maune, who’s a friend of mine, both live in Columbia and are blind.

They recently spoke about some of their health conditions that exist separately from their blindness and about some of the additional barriers they come up against in the health care system as a result of their disability. 

Missouri Health Talks gathers Missourians’ stories of access to healthcare in their own words. You can view more conversations at missourihealthtalks.org. 

Glen Moritz and Tamarr Maclin live in Kirksville and run an organization called “AM Housing,” which was named after and inspired by Glen’s son, Andrew, who passed away from cancer.

They are working toward opening a homeless shelter in town and said they have encountered some obstacles while trying to open this shelter.

They spoke about how they are working to spread awareness in their community, and about what they want the shelter to be like once they open their doors.

Missouri Health Talks gathers Missourians’ stories of access to healthcare in their own words. You can view more conversations at missourihealthtalks.org. 

Glen Moritz and Tamarr Maclin live in Kirksville and run an organization called “AM Housing,” which is named after Glen's son, Andrew, who died of cancer at 33. They are working toward opening a homeless shelter in town. 

They spoke about the things that have motivated them to work in the field of rural homelessness.

Missouri Health Talks gathers Missourians’ stories of access to healthcare in their own words. You can view more conversations at missourihealthtalks.org. 

Samantha Dyroff and Megan Anderson are both medical students at the University of Missouri. They both work with MedZou, a student-run health clinic here in town. When we spoke to them, Megan was a second-year student and the transgender health coordinator, and Samantha was a first-year medical student and ran the specialty services for MedZou.

They spoke about some of misconceptions others have about the patients they work with through the recently opened specialty clinic that offers free and inclusive healthcare to transgender Missourians and about some of the barriers to care that their patients who are transgender can face.

Missouri Health Talks gathers Missourians’ stories of access to healthcare in their own words. You can view more conversations at missourihealthtalks.org. 

Megan Anderson and Samantha Dyroff are both medical students at the University of Missouri. They both work with MedZou, a student-run health clinic here in town. When we spoke to them, Megan was a second-year student and the transgender health coordinator, and Samantha was a first-year medical student and ran the specialty services for MedZou.

They spoke about a recently opened specialty clinic at MedZou that offers free and inclusive healthcare for transgender Missourians, and about what that clinic has meant to some of their patients. 

Missouri Health Talks gathers Missourians’ stories of access to healthcare in their own words. You can view more conversations at missourihealthtalks.org.

Megan Anderson and Samantha Dyroff are both medical students at the University of Missouri. They also both work with MedZou, a student-run health clinic here in town, and hold positions within the organization. They spoke about some of the barriers – including insurance coverage – that their patients face. 

Missouri Health Talks gathers Missourians’ stories of access to healthcare in their own words. You can view more conversations at missourihealthtalks.org. 

Virginia Mohammed and Matthew Huffman both work at the Missouri Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence. Virginia is the advocacy coordination specialist at the Coalition, and Matthew is the public affairs director.

Virginia works with programs designed for individuals convicted of domestic violence crimes - called Batterer Intervention programs. She and Matthew spoke about their hopes for five years from now - when it comes to the state of domestic and sexual violence in Missouri. 

Missouri Health Talks gathers Missourians’ stories of access to healthcare in their own words. You can view more conversations at missourihealthtalks.org. 

DeAnna Quietwater Noriega and Gretchen Maune, who’s a friend of mine, both live in Columbia and are blind.

They spoke about some of the additional complications and costs that can come along with their adaptive technologies – i.e. their service dogs. For DeAnna, that’s Enzo, a German Shepard, and for Gretchen, Keeper, a Golden Retriever. 

Missouri Health Talks gathers Missourians’ stories of access to healthcare in their own words. You can view more conversations at missourihealthtalks.org. 

Dawn Day is a sexual assault nurse examiner or SANE nurse and the sexual assault program coordinator at the Mercy hospital in Springfield.

She spoke about the stress it can put on nurses to take care of patients who are victims of sexual assault, and a little bit about how she and others deal with those stressors.

Missouri Health Talks gathers Missourians’ stories of access to healthcare in their own words. You can view more conversations at missourihealthtalks.org. 

Natalie Maupin is a sexual assault nurse examiner and the forensic program coordinator at Mosaic Life Care medical center in St. Joseph.

She spoke about some of the work she does with victims of assault, and about ways others can be more aware of the traumatic events these victims have experienced.

Missouri Health Talks gathers Missourians’ stories of access to healthcare in their own words. You can view more conversations at missourihealthtalks.org. 

This week on Intersection, we bring you a special from Missouri Health Talks. Health reporter Rebecca Smith spoke with Jennifer Carter Dochler, the Public Policy Director for the Missouri Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence (MCADSV) and one of the facilitators of the MO-SART, or Missouri Sexual Assault Response Team.

Gretchen Maune and DeAnna Quietwater Noriega are friends who live here in Columbia, and Gretchen’s actually been a friend of mine for several years.  

Gretchen and Deanna are both blind, and they spoke about the first time they met – now many years ago - at a support group. 

Missouri Health Talks gathers Missourians’ stories of access to healthcare in their own words. You can view more conversations at missourihealthtalks.org.

Jannis Evans and Devin Hursey both work in the HIV treatment and prevention field and have served on committees advocating for people with HIV in Missouri and across the country.

They sat down at this month’s Legislative Advocacy Day sponsored by the Missouri HIV Justice Coalition where they both were advocating for changes to Missouri’s HIV criminal laws, and they spoke about some of the reasons HIV impacts communities of color at a higher rate.  

Missouri Health Talks gathers Missourians’ stories of access to healthcare in their own words. You can view more conversations at missourihealthtalks.org. 

Lonnie Kessler and Kimberly Ruiz are a couple who live in Moberly, Missouri. Lonnie has intractable epilepsy and Kimberly is a disabled vet, and they both advocate for the legalization of medical marijuana in the state.

They sat down at the Little Dixie Regional Library in Moberly and spoke about what motivates them to be advocates. 

Missouri Health Talks gathers Missourians’ stories of access to healthcare in their own words. You can view more conversations at missourihealthtalks.org.

Gail Reynoso and Matthew Huffman both work at the Missouri Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, and Gail has worked with numerous refugee and immigrant women throughout her career.

They spoke about the additional barriers to care that exist for these immigrant and refugee survivors of violence.

This conversation does cover some tough subjects and a racial slur is included in the audio. It may not be appropriate for everyone.

Missouri Health Talks gathers Missourians’ stories of access to healthcare in their own words. You can view more conversations at missourihealthtalks.org. 

Lonnie Kessler and Kimberly Ruiz are a couple that lives in Moberly. Lonnie has intractable epilepsy and Kimberly is a disabled vet – and they both advocate for the legalization of medical marijuana in the state.

They sat down at the Little Dixie Regional Library in Moberly, and spoke about their relationship and about how both of them having disabilities has influenced and strengthened their relationship.

Missouri Health Talks gathers Missourians’ stories of access to healthcare in their own words. You can view more conversations at missourihealthtalks.org. 

Debbie and David Vance have both been volunteering at the annual MOMOM, or Missouri Mission of Mercy, for years. MOMOM is a once a year, two-day dental clinic providing free care for anyone who’s willing to wait in line. It’s in a different place every year, and this year’s 6th annual event was held in Joplin, Missouri.

They spoke about their experiences volunteering at the events and about the importance of educating their patients about oral health care’s effect on overall health.

Missouri Health Talks gathers Missourians’ stories of access to healthcare in their own words. You can view more conversations at missourihealthtalks.org. 

Brothers Drew and Chuck Graham live in Columbia. Chuck has been paraplegic since an accident in his youth, and Drew has been quadriplegic for nearly as long. They spoke about their issues with physical access in the Columbia community and about some of the tough decisions they are forced to make.

Missouri Health Talks gathers Missourians’ stories of access to healthcare in their own words. You can view more conversations at missourihealthtalks.org. 

Bill Gordon lives in Sedalia, Missouri. He spoke at the “Breaking it Down: Homelessness in Missouri” event that KBIA and Missouri Heath Talks hosted at Café Berlin on December 6.

Bill shared his personal experiences with homelessness – having been homeless in Columbia in the 90s and being a graduate of Welcome Home, a group that assists homeless veterans here in town.

Here he reflects on how his time being homeless changed him.

Missouri Health Talks gathers Missourians’ stories of access to healthcare in their own words. You can view more conversations at missourihealthtalks.org.