Glen Moore didn't think much about his hands until one February morning when he was injured on the job.

Captain Don Spears, a Belton police officer, and his wife scheduled an unusual activity on a mutual day off last December.

Carolyn Clemons still remembers the day she injured her left knee about 15 years ago. “I was playing in a parent-child soccer game and trying to avoid falling on a child. Instead, I twisted my knee and ended up injuring myself,” she says.

Jerry Keithline
The 42-year-old Kansas City resident experienced get-your-attention symptoms in October 2001:  increased heart rate, chest pains, coughing and night sweats.  True to his positive nature, Jerry thought it might be the side effects of common bronchitis or a bad chest cold. What he found out turned to be a big bump in the road and not a blip on the radar screen; he was about to embark on an arduous journey that would be no vacation. Jerry was diagnosed with Stage II non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

“I’ve got a lot of living to do.” - That’s a direct quote from 71-year-old Dale Flanagan, a Kansas City resident who has a renewed outlook on life following a health scare on April 6, 2010. Flanagan loved to eat greasy fried foods such as chicken, French fries and cheeseburgers. The salt shaker was a regular dining companion, and Flanagan slathered butter on rolls, baked potatoes and toast. He didn’t stop to think of the consequences his diet choices might have on his health.

As a seasoned commercial photographer, Phil Licata works with one of Kansas City’s oldest and largest hospitals, Research Medical Center. But when Phil went to his doctor in January 2010 with a compromised immune system, he suddenly became a patient on the other side of the lens.

The Allen's journey with Research Medical Center began with a phone call from Karen. My wife and I had gone through infertility at two different facilities dealing with many doctors and nurses. Karen set the bar extremely high in our opinion, After briefly speaking with her on the phone, we immediately felt she was someone we could trust

Betty Morton
battled osteoarthritis, a degenerative condition of the joints, for several years. Morton headed straight to Research Medical Center’s Joint Camp where she participated in the prehabilitation program in preparation for her hip replacement. “The prehab program was great and Joint Camp was wonderful. I especially enjoyed the back and neck massage. The staff took good care of me.”

Steve Orr doesn’t have a reputation as a complainer. In fact, the quiet, congenial man is someone that you’d like to spend an afternoon with over a cup of coffee, discussing a book or the grandkids.

Len Lutz
“I was given excellent care from the time I entered the hospital until my discharge the next Thursday,” says Len, who suffered a stroke.  “All of the doctors, nurses and Research Medical Center employees treated me and my wife with the utmost respect.”

Jennifer Bettis says Thanksgiving 2010 will forever have a special meaning for her and husband, Jay. “We’ll always have gratitude for our first child,” says Jennifer, who is due on November 26. “And for Dr. Starks.” The 35-year-old internal auditor says she believes Gregory Starks, MD, of Midwest Women’s Healthcare, PC, is a miracle worker of sorts.

Rita Garcia
Garcia, known for her brilliant smile and bubbly disposition, was alarmed when she detected a small drop of blood in her urine the morning before her annual physical.  So when the 70-year-old mother of five and grandmother of eight visited her primary care doctor ready to discuss the discovery, she was determined to keep her positive attitude intact. Following a biopsy, Rita was told by her doctor that she had uterine cancer.  A healthy and active woman, Rita was prepared for the worst.

Jerrie Stutheit
is a mother of three and grandmother of seven who was diagnosed with a large brain tumor. Jerrie had an appointment with Geoffrey Blatt, MD, a neurosurgeon at Research Medical Center.“Dr. Blatt explained the type of tumor I had and was confident that I would have positive results. I trusted him immediately.”

Don Creek's work as a self-employed backhoe operator work is extremely physical, requiring him to climb in and out of his equipment. So when his left hip began bothering him nearly two years ago, he pushed through the pain until he decided to have Jeffrey Salin, D.O., an orthopaedic surgeon at Research Medical Center, perform a hip replacement.

Mia Lyons, a Kansas City resident whose positive attitude is a way of life, was diagnosed in 2007 with a benign brain tumor called a meningioma. The second most primary tumor of the central nervous system, meningiomas are slow-growing, occur more frequently in women than men and are usually benign.

Lillian Mack Shakur’s nemesis was heart disease, which had plagued her since 2003 when she underwent bypass surgery following a heart attack. Though she didn’t have a family history of heart disease, Lillian was one of the thousands of women annually diagnosed with this so-called “silent killer. “

When 56-year-old Stephan Butler experienced a series of mini-strokes in May 2010, he sought help from a doctor he had formerly coached on the football field. Having coached this doctor as a high school student in the 1990s, Butler knew losing wasn’t part of the young man’s game plan.

Hillard Rogers is a two-time survivor of prostate cancer. He was first diagnosed at the age of 69 following a routine physical. He made an appointment to see John Sheldon, MD, a radiation oncologist at Research Medical Center.

“Dr. John Sheldon made me feel comfortable and took as much time as I needed in order for me to understand what was going to happen.”

Yvette Stuckey
“Everyone has been wonderful here in the NICU,” shares Yvette Stuckey, NICU mom. “The nurses are so helpful and caring. My baby was born three months early and she is doing great! I would recommend Research Medical Center for moms whether they are high-risk or not. I very much approve of their services.”