Doug has been comfortable behind the wheel of a bus since age 18. But he didn’t get in the driver’s seat of his own health journey until 2018. “There was a season in my life where a conversation about health wouldn’t have made any sense,” said Doug. “I referred to myself as a ‘seafood lover’ – I’d see food, and I’d
Brenda Smith was the first Black female police officer in the state of Nebraska. Following a 25-year career with the Omaha Police Department, she retired as assistant police chief and started teaching criminal justice at Metropolitan Community College (MCC). A loving mother, grandmother and daughter, she also helped care for her ailing mom and dad for many years before they both passed away in
Forty-five years ago, Barbara Saathoff wasn’t sure she would be able to walk again or see her children grow up – much less get her degree in education. Now, she's celebrating 29 years as a high school science teacher. Saathoff’s story took a dark turn in 1975. She was in her early 20s –
Dorothy has always been an athlete. Growing up in Omaha as one of 10 children, she worked hard to make her unique mark playing volleyball at Omaha North High School and went on to earn a full-ride scholarship to Grambling State University in Louisiana. As a collegiate athlete and three-year team captain, she learned much about resilience, human behavior and inclusion, both on and off the court. “I wouldn’t be who I am today or where I
For more than 30 years, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska (BCBSNE) has been a part of Omaha couple Aileen and Thomas’ health journey. “Whenever we have required medical treatment, from childbirth to routine medical exams, providers recognize the Blue Cross Blue Shield brand,
Warm, salty, soft pretzels and well-dressed hot dogs slathered with all the fixings are ballpark snack staples, but for some, like Jake, having a treat while at a game isn’t as simple as ordering what looks best on the menu. At 14 years old, Jake was diagnosed with celiac disease, an autoimmune condition that
Joanna is the nursing director of the intensive and progressive care units (ICU/PCU) at Mary Lanning Healthcare in Hastings – one of the areas in Nebraska hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic. She and her team of nurses saw an influx of patients and deaths in 2020. “We wanted to take care of these patients,” Joanna said. “That’s why we are nurses because
My wife and I began our retirement adventures in 2020. It was obviously an unusual year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We really focused on walking and hiking regardless of the temperature. During some time in Colorado, we started doing more aggressive mountain hikes leading ultimately to climbing our first fourteener! We climbed Mt.
Every pregnancy is full of surprises, but Amber’s was especially remarkable. The likelihood of identical triplets like Sharlet, Sydnea and Savana being conceived spontaneously (without medical assistance) may well be one in a million. Amber hadn’t been trying to get pregnant, so learning she’d be having multiple babies at her first ultrasound – first
When Grant was just 3 years old, his doctors discovered a murmur that required open heart surgery. “Even if they consider it a small surgery, it’s still very scary, as a parent, to know that your baby is going to be opened up on the table to do something like that to his heart,”
