Ribbon cutting Page 3
Perfect for picnic Page 7
Local author hits the big time Page 8
Free complimentary copy May 23, 2014 • Volume 1, No. 34
www.raytowneagle.com • 75¢
Sharps Don’t Give Up, Juliana Graduates Right On Time Last year, Juliana Sharp did not know whether or not she would be able to graduate with her class of 2014 due to a severe medical malady that hit her when she was only fourteen years old causing her to lose years of school. But, this week, she proudly lined up in cap and gown with the Raytown South High School Class of 2014 to receive her high school diploma. In 2010, Juliana began suffering from horrible pain in her side and repeated multiple trips to the bathroom that kept her home in bed. Her parents assumed it was a flu bug but no medications alleviated her symptoms. Juliana will never forget that she was rushed to the emergency room on her 14th birthday, August 30. She was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis and admitted into Children’s Mercy hospital where medical staff immediately put her on a regiment of antibiotics and medications used to treat Crohn’s disease and irritable bowel symptom, which are also types of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). Little did her parents know that the next four years of their lives would be dedicated to Juliana’s survival. Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic autoimmune disease of the large intestine or colon where the lining becomes inflamed and develops tiny open sores and ulcers. It results from a breakdown in the body’s immune system that normally protects against infection. The immune systems of people with IBD mistake food, bacteria, and other materials in the intestine for invading substances. The body rallies to the defense by sending white blood cells into the lining of the intestines that ends up producing chronic inflammation and ulcerations. Juliana became highly anemic and her colon became so swollen that nothing would pass. She went through a battery of experimental oral drugs for six months but nothing stopped the autoimmune process. Doctors then tried infusions of chemo drug, Remicade® every 8 weeks that gave Juliana relief for six months but then the results became diminutive. The infusions were increased to every seven weeks, then every six weeks and then every
Counselors, teachers and the principal at Raytown South High School were apprised of her condition prior to enrollment but attendance became difficult and uncomfortable for Juliana. The structured classroom environment was not geared for managing her immediate and unannounced trips to the bathroom so she quit. But Juliana was determined to graduate with the class of 2014. She applied for entrance in the Missouri Options GED Program facilitated by the Raytown School District but there were no openings in the 2013-2014 session. By a stroke of luck, and Juliana certainly needed a few breaks, John received a phone call informing him that a spot had opened up. John excitedly told the caller, “She’ll take it!” The caller told John that if he hadn’t answered the phone at that moment, he would’ve gone to the next name on the list. Juliana started the GED program in September 2013 and graduated in March 2014 after passing all five tests that she took at Penn Valley Community College. But more importantly, the Raytown School District allowed her to walk with the Raytown South High School Class of 2014. five weeks. “They were hitting her with dosages too high for her age and size,” said her father, John Sharp, a Raytown Parks employee for 34 years. “My wife, Stephanie, and I felt helpless because we could not get a second opinion from any medical group. They refused to examine a child and would refer us back to Children’s Mercy. We read everything we could get our hands on to understand what was going on. We learned that ulcerative colitis typically hits children at 13 to 14 years or adults who are over 50 in families that may have no history of IBD.” After replacing Remicade with experimental drugs that did not produce results, Juliana’s doctors suggested removing her colon. By this time, she was down from 115 to 78 pounds and covered with hives. Two days after the six and a half hour operation, the hives disappeared. She managed with a colonoscopy pouch for three
O’Hara Class Of 2014 Congratulations to the 95 graduates of Archbishop O’Hara High School where students come from Kansas City, Raytown, Lee’s Summit, Grandview, Belton, Raymore, Blue Springs and Independence. The 2014 class has a 100% graduation rate with 96% of the student population accepted and attending a post secondary education institution. This 2014 class performed over 3,000 total hours of service in our community. The average ACT score for the 2014 class was a 23, including one National Merit SemiFinalist and six Bright Flight Diploma Scholars. Two of the seniors were recognized during the year as Fox 4 Reaching for Excellence Young Achievers while two others were awarded with All State Academic Honors. Alexander Higinbotham,
Class Valedictorian, states, “There is no doubt that we take pride in our diversity, and we work hard every day to accept others unconditionally and promote the welcoming aura we are so well-known for. This year, with the students from St. Mary’s joining us, I saw our senior class shine. We became a melting pot, a cohesive solution composed of talented students from a myriad of different races, socio-economic statuses, religions, backgrounds, and geographic locations. We have created a bond that will endure forever. I am extremely proud to say that at O’Hara, we truly stand together.” Archbishop O’Hara High School is a Catholic education institution in the Lasallian tradition, located at 9001 James A Reed Rd, Kansas City, MO.
weeks. Two month later, she rolled off the couch then felt a rip and began feeling increasingly ill over the next few days. She was rushed back to the hospital where doctors verified the surgical connection had ruptured and food and beverage were literally spilling into her abdominal cavity. Juliana was put back together on the operating table and wore a pouch for six months this time to provide ample healing time. Four months later, her surgeon built a pocket in her lower intestine so she would no longer have to wear the colonoscopy pouch. During a stay with her mother, Jia Sharp Wedel, now living in Wichita, Juliana began to experience more strange symptoms that were diagnosed as rheumatoid arthritis. A rheumatologist in the area started her on Humira to relieve her symptoms. By the time she 16 years old, Juliana began to feel better and wanted to get back to school.
She loved playing shortstop and second base. “I really think I could’ve made the varsity team,” she says. “But had I stayed in high school, I wouldn’t graduate until I was about 22 years old.” And with a big grin on his face, John says, “Despite Stephanie’s good medical insurance, we’ve incurred a huge medical bill that we’ll be paying for years to come – maybe even after I retire - but Juliana is worth it.” Stephanie, a cancer survivor of nearly nine years, added, “Out of pocket expenses totaled to several thousands pf dollars”. But both John and Stephanie agree that the hospital staff and doctors are superb and they are especially grateful for surgeon, Dr. St. Peter. Today, Juliana feels older than her years. She still takes a half a dozen medications to control her UC and flare-ups of pouchitis, an infection of the built in pouch, that includes antibiotics and drugs to slow her digestion and relieve the rheumatoid arthritis. But you wouldn’t know it standing in front of this happy, vivacious young woman who is having a ball catching up on all that she’s missed as a normal teenage. “Don’t ever give up. It could be worse. There is always somebody that has a worse case than you”, says Juliana. She also encourages those with illnesses to seek help from the various websites that offer support for their condition. “People share what works for them and Juliana Sharp receives her diploma sometimes it also works for you”, she Juliana regrets missing her high says. And what are Juliana’s plans? school years that can never be made up. She was good math student “After going through all this, I completing algebra in 8th grade and would like a medical career as an geometry in her sophomore year X-ray and sonogram technician or and participated in school athletics even an RN”, she says with a big playing girls volleyball and softball. smile. “I want to help other people.”