Optomap is the only exam that captures more than 80% of your retina in one panoramic image. The scan is quick, easy, painless & has no side-effects such as blurry vision!
This shows us a much wider view of your retina that any other imaging device & helps to provide our patients with the greatest chance of early disease detection & treatment!
(317) 707-6165
8111 E. US HIGHWAY 36 – AVON (next to Big Apple Bagel)
For advertising information, contact:
PUBLISHER DARREN BOSTON darren@townepost.com 317.716.8812
TOWNE POST NETWORK, INC.
FOUNDER/CEO
TOM BRITT tom@townepost.com 317.496.3599
PRESIDENT
JEANNE BRITT
jeanne@townepost.com 317.810.0011
PRODUCTION COORDINATOR ERIN TURK
CREATIVE DIRECTORS
TONI EADS
VAL AUSTIN
COPY EDITORS
JON SHOULDERS
NATALIE PLATT
7
BETTER TOGETHER AJAA Celebrates its 60th Year and Looks Ahead to the Future Under New Leadership 10
7
REAL-TIME ANALYTICS
Scan the QR code to see this magazine’s real-time reach and distribution numbers.
TOWNE POST NETWORK, INC. 8800 North Street, Suite 117 Fishers, IN 46038
Phone/Text: 317-810-0011
#SPOTLIGHTINGLOCAL
FOR FRANCHISE INFORMATION, VISIT franchising.townepost.com
THERE’S A NEW BIRD IN TOWN Avon High School, Middle Schools Launch Unified Athletics Brand
14
CULTURE AND TRADITION National Powwow to Take Place at the Hendricks County Fairgrounds
22
BEST SHOT
Skeet Shooter Garrett Duncan Has His Sights Set for Great Outcomes
28
WISHING FAMILIES A HEALTHY SCHOOL YEAR
31
LEASE ON LIFE Local 81-Year-Old Talks Life After Kidney Transplant
38 BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT™ Rapha Health
KEY CONTRIBUTORS
The Avon Junior Athletic Association (AJAA) has welcomed Justin Thompson as the new executive director this year, and changes and improvements are underway.
“This is a big deal,” Thompson says. “It’s really exciting. One of my main goals at AJAA is to change the culture of youth sports, not just for AJAA, not just for Avon or Hendricks County, but for the entire country.”
The athletic association is celebrating it’s 60th year, and offers 18 programs to more than 4,000 youth athletes. For Thompson, managing AJAA is a dream come true.
Growing up in Evansville, the husband, father and coach has always had a love for youth sports, even creating and participating in a high school rec basketball league in his hometown as a senior in high school.
Thompson’s family lived in Texas for a number of years as he worked in physician recruitment and staffing. In 2018 they moved to Avon to be closer to family, and knowing his love for coaching, Thompson’s father-in-law suggested AJAA.
“I studied coaching and psychology at IU and began coaching before I had my own children,” he says. “Not only did I want to get more involved in coaching, but I wanted to get my kids involved as well.”
With 15 years of coaching experience, it didn’t take long for Thompson to recognize what AJAA had to offer.
“I was coaching my daughters’ fifth/sixthgrade basketball team and my son’s secondgrade team, and about halfway through the season they were in need of a new commissioner to oversee the 500 athletes in the basketball program,” Thompson says.
He not only served as commissioner from 2019 to 2022, but also suggested a summer rec basketball program to the former executive director and volunteered to run the program.
“Our summer basketball rec program was the highest-rated program in AJAA history,”
Thompson says. “We had 100 kids sign up and 13 teams, boys and girls, grades two through six. I was coaching two teams, opening and closing gyms. It was an amazing experience.”
In previous years during the winter basketball season, jerseys were black and white, and teams were often described by the coach’s last name.
Thompson aimed to improve upon that, designing new jerseys that symbolized colors of NCAA teams, giving athletes an identity for their team and providing a bright, higher-quality material.
“Everyone loved them and the kids were so excited,” he says. “We’ve done this with all of our other program jerseys that will roll out for the rest of the year.”
He joined the AJAA board of directors, and shortly after, the previous director resigned.
The board asked Thompson to step into a leadership consultant role for a temporary period and he quickly learned AJAA is where his heart is, despite challenges, a busy schedule and a full-time job.
In fact, the full-time position had been preparing him for the new role.
“I was managing a team, flying around the country and evaluating medical practices,” he says. “I would look at hiring staff, paying staff, creating a positive culture to retain employees and things like that. Who knew that my life was coming fullcircle and on a much bigger scale? I’m fully prepared for the good, the bad and the ugly.”
After the interim period, Thompson could see his future at AJAA.
“I was ready to leave my employer of 10 years to come to a place that was uncertain,” Thompson says. “There are no promises made, but I know this is where I want to be and where I need to be.”
He was officially hired in January of 2023. “Making the change to lead the charge at
AJAA was one of the most difficult yet easiest decisions I’ve ever made in my life,” he says. Once I put it in God’s hands, the rest took care of itself.”
In addition to the jerseys, Thompson began looking at other areas he could improve in an immediate time frame.
“The small but mighty AJAA staff of Mike Clark, facilities director, and Amanda Maxwell, administrative assistant, along with our phenomenal volunteers from league coordinators to coaches, commissioners and board members, are what makes all things possible and great for our youth. These people are the lifeblood of AJAA.”
The staff reached out to the community, partnering with the Town of Avon to formally become a member of the Town of Avon’s Parks and Recreation department, finding supporters in the Avon Community School Corporation and Hendricks Regional Health and many more, and revamped the sponsorship packages to allow for local businesses to sponsor a field on the AJAA property.
Most importantly, Thompson’s goal is to change the culture of youth sports, and one of the ways he plans to do this is through Positive Coaching Alliance, a set of virtual and in-person courses and workshops, supported by a national advisory board of experts like Dusty Baker with the Houston Astros, Olympic bobsledder Aja Evans, and Yale Athletic Director Tom Beckett.
“I didn’t think I could improve much as a coach,” Thompson says. “I know all the rules, I know all the kids. I was wrong. The program made me a better coach, father, husband and human. I thought, ‘If it could do that for me, surely it can help everyone else.’”
Over the course of the next few years, coaches, assistant coaches, commissioners and eventually parents will have the opportunity to participate in the program.
“I found myself communicating differently
and focusing on different things,” Thompson says. “This isn’t about sports, it’s about people. If a child is having fun, their brain is more open and likely to receive more information. Fun leads to learning, which leads to growth. We want to take the focus away from winning and look at if you are having fun, if you are learning and if you are growing as a person.”
Youth sports have always been known to foster teamwork, responsibility, time management and much more. What they learn on the field, Thompson says, will spill over into other aspects of their life, whether it be school, work or family.
“We have the opportunity to help so many people,” he says. “As the largest youth rec sports organization in Hendricks County, I’m so excited and optimistic to see what we can do.”
AJAA leaders are in preliminary discussions to implement special-needs rec programming, cycling or biking programs, and perhaps tumbling or gymnastics.
“We want to offer more programming if we can, but that’ll require additional volunteers and funds,” Thompson says.
“We currently have 800 volunteers yearround and we’re hopeful the additional sponsorships will allow us to offer these new programs.”
AJAA offers the Athletic Scholarships for Kids program for scholarship opportunities as well.
“Every day is exciting,” Thompson says. “I’m doing this for something so much bigger than myself and there’s so much at stake here. We need to come together as a community, strengthen our relationships with each other, and we’re going to be better if we all work together.”
For more information about AJAA, visit ajaaonline.org.
von schools are entering a new era. This is most clearly seen in the renovation and expansion projects at Avon High School (AHS) and Pine Tree Elementary, and also in plans to build a new middle school west of Prestwick - all driven by steady enrollment growth.
For decades, thousands of AHS student-athletes have competed with the Avon Orioles logo on their jerseys. Thousands more students, parents and community members have proudly displayed it around town. It has been a point of pride, and it has served us well. However, along with this era of growth and excitement comes an opportunity to create a new athletic logo that is not only designed to work in digital formats, but also even more convincingly represents what it means to be an Avon Oriole to
this generation of students.
That’s a challenge we’ve embraced with plenty of help from students, coaches and administrators. After a year of work, we’re proud to announce there’s a new bird in town.
Ask AHS student leaders, and they’ll tell you:
“It’s about having pride and bringing your all in what you do.” (Molly Williams)
“We are tough, disciplined and strong.” (Ty Mead)
“We have pride and passion.” (Stephen Onochie)
“It means to be accountable, respectful and engaged, [working] together united as one.” (Jessica Hegedus)
“We are driven, confident, courageous, inspiring, compassionate, loyal and adaptable.”
(Jonathan
Loh)
“It means working with a diverse group of people to be a team.” (Amanda
Logeais)AHS student government and student-athlete leadership team members provided input and guidance that helped us reimagine and redesign the logo. Their enthusiastic endorsements have been invaluable: “That definitely has the swag for sports,” “The wings are cool,” “It’s easy to read,” “It looks modern,” “It’s unique and classic,” “That’s fire,” and, most importantly, “No teeth!”
(Many pointed out, rightly, that orioles don’t have teeth.)
This project is an opportunity to build unity. This is most apparent in the adoption of the new logo at Avon Middle School North and South, and the yet-to-be-named new middle school. Middle school student-athletes will now have the chance to compete wearing the same logo they’ll wear at AHS.
We all will soon begin bumping into others wearing the new logo at games and around town, bringing a renewed sense of excitement and unity. We’re all Avon Orioles, after all.
To ensure this logo would be our own, we
chose to work with a designer who, in addition to being a talented artist, lives in Avon. Because he is the father of three AHS grads, Todd Adkins (born-to-design.com) knows what makes Avon Orioles unique. He heard and implemented our feedback, and was an enthusiastic partner throughout the project. Those qualities are reflected in the final design.
Learn more about the new logo, find out where you can purchase swag and discover how you can participate in launch activities by visiting avon-schools.org/orioles.
Writer / Christy Heitger-Ewing Photography Provided
In 1969, three gentlemen held the first National Powwow to celebrate and share American Indian culture. The event occurs every three years, with dances taking place in various parts of the country, including Colorado, Missouri, Illinois, Kansas and Indiana. The Hendricks County Fairgrounds in Danville has hosted National Powwow since 2005 and returns again this July 6 through 9, after a hiatus due to the pandemic (it was scheduled to occur in July 2020).
The four-day celebration includes a princess contest, children’s powwow, educational seminars, arts and crafts competitions, and four nights of intertribal dancing. This year will
also include a 5K fun run on Friday.
“What’s unique about this event is that it provides a lot of time for fellowship,” says Amy Brewer, marketing co-chair. “Although there’s a lot of dancing, you can’t dance all day for four days straight, so we’ve come up with other things people can do to engage in fellowship.”
The educational seminars cover crafts, dance styles, music and more. For example, one year they had a man talk about what the Native American flute symbolized. He played some music and provided resources on how to make your own flute. Another seminar covered how to make a feather bustle as well as other pieces to the outfits.
This year a man from Florida will bring his massive collection of historical moccasins that he’s accumulated dating back to the 1980s. “What he’s bringing is comparable to what would be displayed at the Eiteljorg Museum,” says Jeff Brewer, marketing co-chair. “He’s the authority on Cheyenne moccasins in the country who has been involved with the National Powwow since the 1970s.”
Moccasins are more than footwear. They have different symbols and meanings based on their combination of colors. Different tribes wear different symbols. Some are beaded and some are not. Some have paint while others don’t.
“You can walk around the grounds and ask people, ‘How did you make that?’ or
‘What’s the significance of the color in that beadwork?’” Jeff says. “This is an opportunity to do a deep dive into the culture.”
“The whole point of National Powwow is to share knowledge,” Amy adds.
Spectators like getting exposed to a culture they have heard about but never seen in action. For instance, it’s fun to look at the teepee encampment that includes both rustic and modern teepees.
The princess contest organizers ask contestants to write an essay about something related to the modern world and the Native American culture - what they would like to see changed or how to promote the culture. The contest also includes an interview portion to help get a sense of the contestant’s character.
They dance and participate in a number of activities. They are judged not so much on their dancing style, but rather their outfit and dedication to dancing. Once a princess is
crowned with a beaded crown, for the next three years they act as a spokeswoman for the National Powwow. Due to the pandemicrelated cancellation of the event in 2020, the reigning princess has held her title for the past six years.
“She’s ready to turn over that crown,” Jeff says with a chuckle.
In the past they’ve had magic shows as well as
demonstrations on how to make arrowheads out of rocks.
“We try to have things that appeal to a wide audience,” Amy says.
The dancing, however, is the high point for most people. The Powwow features a number of different dance styles including Men’s Grass (the oldest of the surviving tribal dances), Jingle Dress Dance, Chicken
Dance, the Native American Gourd Dance, Lady’s Southern Cloth, and Men’s Fancy or Feather (a fast-paced dance that tests personal stamina).
Many other dance styles are featured as well. Those who attend the National Powwow can join in the dancing but are not required to. “Even if you don’t dance, you can still share in the culture,” says Amy, who describes the event like a family reunion of sorts.
“I see these people peppered throughout the country, but this is on everyone’s calendar to be here at this event,” Jeff says. “It’s powerful having us all come together at one dance. Every year I’m energized and I leave with a great feeling of community, friendship and fellowship.”
Vendors will sell jewelry, leather, paintings, sculptures, Pendleton blankets, and raw goods like beads.
Art Tate, a military vet, has attended eight of the previous 17 National Powwows. “Each one has made a positive and permanent mark on me,” says Tate, who has served as a head man dancer at National Powwow Four, and subsequently as the program coordinator and chairperson at nationals.
“National Powwow is uniquely special, and always leaves me with amazing memories of good times with my family, close friends and acquaintances throughout the United States,” Tate says. “As soon as the gates are closed at
one National, I’m looking forward to the next.”
Jeff notes that the National Powwow is all about honoring our veterans. In fact, there is a veterans song played, during which veterans are invited to dance in the arena whether they are dressed in uniform or not.
“You put your life on the line for this country,” Jeff says. “We want to honor you.”
This is the fourth time the National Powwow has taken place in Danville. The Hendricks County Fairgrounds is the perfect facility to hold it for many reasons. For starters, it’s covered, so there’s no need to worry about inclement weather. There’s also plenty of indoor space for classes and competitions, as well as outdoor space for camping and teepees. In addition, Indiana often provides pleasantly cool nights. Plus, it stays light until around 9 p.m.
“We feel we’ve found a home in Danville,” Jeff says. “It fits all of our needs, so if it’s not broke, don’t fix it. Let the good times roll!” The National Powwow will take place July 6 through 9. Gates open at 8 a.m. and close at 10:30 p.m. The Hendricks County Fairgrounds are located at 1900 East Main Street in Danville. For more information, call 317-718-6154 or visit nationalpowwow.com.
Our researchers are always looking for new ways to treat cancer. You'll have access to advanced therapy options for oncology — including select Phase I clinical trials. With leading-edge cancer care, your circle of support just got stronger.
Learn more at eCommunity.com/cancer
VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND TO PURCHASE YOUR TICKETS
AUGUST: LODI APPLES, BULK PRODUCE ORDERS
SEPTEMBER: PICK YOUR OWN APPLES, FALL FESTIVALS
Writer / Melissa Gibson
Photographer / Amy Payne
Garrett Duncan is the only international skeet shooter in Indiana.
The Cascade High School graduate grew up around firearms, with hunting and target practice. In 2017, Duncan’s father suggested they try shooting clays, and it turns out, he was a natural.
Skeet shooting is a popular sport across the United States. However, we don’t see it often in Indiana.
The sport features seven stations, each with two traps, one low and one high. They launch targets, called clays or birds, in an X shape. There are 25 shots per session, and the shooter pivots back and forth at different angles as they move along a semicircle formation. The clays travel at 45 miles per hour on a typical skeet-shooting course. However, Olympic shooters can take on clays at 62 miles per hour.
That’s right, it’s also an Olympic sport, with men, women and junior categories.
The game is predictable and relies on handeye coordination along with a lot of training.
Duncan’s father found a shooting club in Edinburgh and his coach at the time belonged to an international skeet organization. By 2019 Duncan was fully involved in the international version of the sport.
He describes American skeet as the high school football version, compared to International skeet as the professional football version.
“The difference between American and International is in American, the gun is already on your shoulder,” Duncan says. “In International, the butt of the gun is around our belly-button area, and we have to mount the gun and shoot while the target is in the air.”
Even with the natural talent and extreme practice schedule, it hasn’t always been easy.
Duncan tried out for the Tokyo Olympics in 2020 and things didn’t go as planned. “It was one of the worst matches I’ve ever had,” Duncan says. “I was a senior in high school, had no plans to go to college and I was banking on this. I was all in. I went to several of the trial matches and didn’t compete at my best. It kind of put me on the path to give up.”
Duncan did give up, but not for long.
He took a short break, but by the end of 2021 he realized he still had a passion and desire to compete.
“I don’t regret it at all,” he says. “It taught me a lot. I’m a man of faith and it was a time of growth, character development and just an awesome journey.”
Coming back from his struggles has given Duncan a drive to continue to improve, and
“I have a mission to support these athletes, but also to give them the platform to talk about Christ. Just like my story, if it’s meant to be, he’ll make it be. We need to continue to pursue that.”
he has support from family and friends.
“I think they’re proud of me,” he says. “My parents have put so much into this, and they believe in me and support me in any way they can. I’ve dedicated a lot to this sport and I think we all agree that this is where I’m led in life.”
Since there are no local areas to compete, Duncan says the majority of his competitions are held in the south.
He spends most of his time in Georgia, Florida and Texas, training and competing in preparation for the 2024 Paris Olympic trials.
“The next step for me is to make a U.S. Olympic team and my professional debut,” Duncan says.
He trains six days per week to be in the best physical shape possible as well as the best shooting shape possible, with his trainer, a three-time Olympic gold medalist in the sport. While Duncan says people of all shapes, sizes and ages compete, when under pressure, it’s the training that stands out.
- Garrett Duncan -
“The fundamentals are a huge part of this,” he says. “The other part is mental. I do 100 gun mounts per day, hand-eye coordination drills, physical training and mental training.”
When it comes to the mental challenges, Duncan says the sport itself isn’t exhausting,
but the mental toll it takes can make or break results in a competition.
He continues to challenge himself, even when the less-than-fun aspects of training come along.
“Part of recovery is taking cold showers or an ice bath,” he says. “I hate to do them but they say it helps with recovery. It’s a mental thing, getting over that feeling of not wanting to get into this tub - this is what I said I’m going to do and I’m going to do it. This might suck, but I’m showing up for myself every time.”
It’s growth and progress that keep Duncan going.
“There’s the adage of being 1% better every day,” he says. “For me, everything revolves around this. If I can do small things every day to get better, it allows me to go above and beyond my competitors. I just want to be the best I can be.”
There’s an element of fun too.
“On a casual level it’s a lot like playing golf for me,” Duncan says. “It’s a great time to bring out friends, have some competition and banter back and forth. It’s a unique sport but I love it.”
The Clayton native says the attention on skeet is very different from swimming, gymnastics and other Olympic sports. In fact, though Paris will be home to the 2024 Olympics, shooting sports will be held 100 miles outside of the famous city.
Fans can regularly catch competitive sports on ESPN, but skeet shooting is harder to come by. When a U.S. team travels overseas, it may be televised, or finals of a competition could be found on social media. However, the vast majority of competitions aren’t available for fans from their living-room couch.
Duncan has seen many young people interested in the sport, but knows many can’t afford it.
“As far as cost goes, equestrian is number one and shooting sports is number two,” Duncan says. “Those families with an average income can find it hard to afford skeet shooting. I want to give back to my community and to the sport I love.”
Not only supporting those in need of sponsorship, Duncan wants to change how the sport is seen across the country, and the first step is to develop his nonprofit.
The Christian Clays foundation has been established to support young skeet shooters who want to continue to compete and grow in their skill.
This year, Christian Clays will sponsor two youths, one of which recently joined the junior national team. The nonprofit will accept donations to pour back into training
for athletes and help them pursue their dreams.
“I have a mission to support these athletes, but also to give them the platform to talk about Christ,” Duncan says. “Just like my story, if it’s meant to be, he’ll make it be. We need to continue to pursue that.”
July is here! It’s almost time to get ready for school. It takes a lot of work to get our children back on schedule, on the bus, and into a classroom with new backpacks and clothes. Summer is the perfect time to go over our children’s health checklist:
WELL CHILD CHECK: The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that every child between the ages of 3 and 21 needs a well check every 12 months. Your pediatrician will make sure they are up to date on their vaccines, growing well and mentally ready for school. This is the perfect chance to go over any concerns you have
as a parent with your pediatrician and set a plan for the coming school year. You want to set your child up for success and address problems early in the school year, preferably within the first quarter. If you have a student-athlete, then a sports physical would be another reason to visit your pediatrician’s office to get forms filled out.
PEDIATRIC DENTIST: If it has been more than six months since your child’s last dentist appointment, it is time to go back.
VISION CHECK: If your child wears glasses or has trouble with vision, it is a good time to visit the pediatric optometrist or ophthalmologist.
SLEEP: The American Academy of Sleep Medicine provides general guidelines for total hours of sleep a child needs within 24 hours, including naps. For example, 6- to 12-year-olds will need between nine and 12 hours of sleep. Children aged 13 to 18 will need eight to 10 hours. Children who sleep well behave well and do better in school.
Finally, take a moment to pat yourself on the back for being a parent. Parenting is not easy. Remember, it is a marathon, not a sprint. Build on progress and good habits. If your child is struggling, reach out to your pediatrician. We are always happy to help. Cheers to another successful school year!
In 2018, Jane Burgan wasn’t feeling well, sought out a doctor, and heard some terrible news.
“The doctor said, ‘You’re in deep trouble. You’re in kidney failure,’ and sent me directly to dialysis that same day,” Burgan says.
Burgan’s daughter, Nora Day, has been with her every step of the way.
“She started dialysis on my 50th birthday and even crashed during dialysis,” Day says.
“We were told in 2001 that she had kidney problems, but the doctor described it as when someone has a heart attack - it’s an instant thing. When someone has kidney failure, it’s a slow process. When it finally hits you, it’s usually too late.”
Desperate for a kidney, she went to St. Vincent Hospital, but staff told the family Burgan was simply too old to qualify.
Burgan was in her late 70s at the time, and despite the wonderful staff at the dialysis center, DaVita, the treatment was hitting her hard. The family didn’t take no for an answer.
They went to IU Health, and the transplant staff there thought Burgan might have a chance.
“They check you from head to toe to make sure you’re healthy,” Day says.
“Mom had to have both knees replaced,
cataract surgery, dental work, MRIs, chest X-rays, the works. Everything has to be done in a year’s time, and meanwhile the pandemic hits and appointments are delayed. Some of the tests she’s already done are falling off for the time frame.”
Tests had already shown that Day and Burgan are not a match, but a program through IU Health called paired donation
was available. In theory, the kidneys are switched at the same time, from two donors to two recipients.
It didn’t quite turn out that way.
While Burgan waited for the perfect match, Day was able to donate her kidney in advance, pushing her mom higher on the list of potential recipients.
“The typical wait time for a kidney is five years, but I don’t think mom would have made it that long on dialysis,” Day says. “I donated mine in September of 2021. The benefit of that would be that I was healed by the time mom got hers, and I could care for her during her recovery.”
Once Day was healed, the family had to wait for a donor, either living or deceased, that matched Burgan.
It took another seven months for Burgan to get the call.
“On December 1, 2022, I got the phone call,” Burgan says. “It was shocking. I’d waited so long and prayed for so long and the nurse said, ‘I’ll give you 20 minutes to talk to your family.’ I was up at IU by 10:30 that night, and was in surgery by 7:30 in the morning.”
Her donated kidney was a perfect match, and though the typical kidney donated is approximately 71 years old, this one was 50 years old.
Burgan’s family completely understood the pain another family was going through in order for their mom to regain her health.
“I’ve lost a son and I know the horrific grief that comes with that loss,” Day says.
“In a letter to the family, I told them their loved one was a hero in our hearts and eyes. It was heartbreaking to know that someone is grieving, and we grieved and prayed for that family that saved my mom. At the same time, we couldn’t turn down this opportunity. There were a lot of mixed feelings.”
The doctor who performed the transplant said in his 20-year career, including more than 3,000 transplants, the oldest recipient was around 78. It was a rare and special occasion that Burgan, then 80, was able to receive this gift.
In fact, he said he could count on less than one hand how many surgeries he had performed for a patient around her age.
She was a unicorn, Day told her.
“As soon as she was out of surgery, they told us the kidney was already working,” Day says. “All glory to God. Some people don’t have an immediate reaction, so this was great news.”
The recovery for both the living donor and the recipient isn’t easy.
Day compares it to taking a healthy person and making them very sick. It took about three months before she was back to sound health.
Burgan had some additional challenges.
“I was in the hospital for seven days and home for five,” Burgan says. “Then I went back in for another six days. It takes determination and you have to have true grit, but I signed up for it and it was a job I had to do. I was going to do it.”
Now 81, Burgan had to drink four liters of water per day, adhere to a careful diet, and was spending days at a time at follow-up appointments.
“I still tire easily and take naps,” Burgan says.
“They say it’ll be about six months to get back to 100%.”
She still has a couple of months of restrictions including no driving, cleaning, cooking or physical exertion, but Day can see the signs of things to come.
“I drove around the corner the other day and saw her sitting outside, planting flowers,” Day says. “It feels good. It’s the first time she’s been outside and things have finally come full circle. We’re getting there.”
The family says the doctors at IU Health were phenomenal, from Nephrologist Dr. Muhammad Yaqub to Transplant Surgeon Dr. William Goggins.
“God led me in the right direction when I
went to IU Health,” Burgan says. “I had so many doctors and they were the absolute best.”
Burgan has plenty to fight for too.
“I have 13 great-grandbabies,” she says. “Ten are under 5 years old. My husband Bill has been by my side for 48 years and we have six kids between us. They say
you have angels around you, and I called on them more than once, and still do. I’ve made it with God’s help.”
The family hopes to spread the word about organ donation, and just how those who receive an organ have their lives saved and transformed.
“I hope people will feel proud to sign up
DID YOU KNOW CHIROPRACTIC ADJUSTMENTS BOOST YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM? WHAT A GREAT REASON TO START CARE AT ANY AGE!
NEWBORN:
CHIROPRACTIC CAN HELP WITH COLIC, REFLUX, NURSING/LATCHING ISSUES, CONSTIPATION, SLEEPING CONCERNS
TODDLERS TO TEENS:
VICKI CRUMEAR INFECTIONS, BED WETTING, ASTHMA, GROWING PAINS, SCOLIOSIS, HELP WITH INJURIES FROM SPORTS, AND MORE.
THE ONLY FEMALE CHIROPRACTIC OFFICE IN HENDRICKS CO. 7651 E. US HWY 36 • AVON, IN 46123 |COMMUNITYCHIROAVON.COM | (317) 272-7988
for organ donation,” Day says. “I don’t know if they know the difference their loved one brings to the recipient’s family. We hope to reach out to the donor’s family very soon and we’re just so grateful for all the people who have touched our lives during this journey.
We had unconditional love from neighbors. Friends would take mom to doctors appointments so I didn’t have to miss work, and many brought meals. The doctors, nurses and staff have been gifts from God.”
According to IU Health, there are 115,000 people in the U.S. waiting on a transplant today. About 22 of those will die every day because of transplant unavailability.
One donor can save up to eight lives, and heal up to 75 people with cornea and tissue donation.
To learn more about organ donation, visit iuhealth.org.
appointments and highly personalized care, including chronic disease management and prevention.
Have you ever felt the wait time in a doctor’s office was extreme, followed by a rush through the appointment itself?
Many are worried about the cost, and what insurance will or won’t cover, prompting a delay in seeking a health care professional. Still others end up feeling defeated, told to lose weight or take a pill and all of their problems will be solved.
Things should and can be done differently, according to the staff at Rapha Health, a new health care office in Avon that opened on April 3.
Dr. Caleb Huber could see the issues with the current health care system and the difficulties patients were dealing with, prompting him to make a change.
“What’s unique about my practice is first, it’s direct primary care,” Huber says. “We cut out the insurance middleman and provide family medical services to the patient. It’s higher quality with a lower cost. Secondly, it’s a faith-based clinic. We integrate our faith in everything we’re doing.”
With one monthly fee, children, adults and seniors can receive unlimited
The Christian medical practice operates with the belief that health is first spiritual, then mental, and then physical - a holistic approach to modern medicine that takes everything about the person into account before making a medical diagnosis.
“So many other things affect our health,” Huber says. “We take into account the amount of stress you are under, your environment, is there a mental or physiological situation, how much sleep you are getting and even a spiritual reason. Evidence shows patients experiencing spiritual distress often turn up in the hospital.”
In fact, the word “rapha” in Hebrew means “to heal,” and the name Jehovah Rapha means “the Lord who heals.”
Huber believes science is a gift from God and while doctors prescribe treatments, health ultimately comes from God.
“I won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but there are beliefs that we feel amplify our mission and we don’t retract from it,” he says. “We do this with integrity and respect for everyone, and restore the dignity of the person.”
He feels the current health care system often reduces the patient to their illness.
“The current system has laid aside the idea that 80% of the time, a diagnosis comes from the patient’s history,” Huber says. “It’s what the patient is telling us that helps us optimize overall wellness.”
That means extra time built into the appointment as the doctor learns more about the patient, their history, their beliefs and their current circumstances.
Huber loved his time at the Indiana University School of Medicine and then his residency at University of Louisville, studying medicine and pediatrics. However, some of his religious beliefs and values were considered inappropriate in his first full-time position at an Indianapolis hospital.
“I just kept thinking maybe there was another way,” he says. “I don’t want to provide medication like a vending machine. I think we can do better.”
The physician decided to open his own practice, following his Christian beliefs and a holistic approach to the entire person - no apologies necessary.
The concierge-like practice at Rapha Health includes a monthly fee for services, and an additional but discounted fee for required procedures such as labs, imaging and MRIs. They also offer health care programs for small businesses.
Through current insurance programs, it’s often cost-prohibitive to offer employees insurance if staff numbers don’t meet a certain standard. However, Rapha Health can work with businesses to ensure everyone has a plan that is affordable.
“We don’t work for the insurance company or any larger organization,” Huber says. “Our only customer is you, and that means you can use our primary-care option as a service to your employees.”
With extended time set aside for each patient, Huber has the extra time to shop around for which pharmacy and medication will be most cost-effective for his patient.
He’s also partnered with a local self-pay surgical suite that does quality work on procedures like hernia repair, knee replacements and other routine surgeries.
“We can help you with resources for catastrophic coverage in the event you are hospitalized, or other cost-sharing measures,” Huber says. “As a member of Rapha Health, there is other discounted coverage you can have for those large procedures.”
Another benefit at Rapha includes having Huber’s cell phone number and a 24/7 connection to a health care professional. Almost like having a doctor in the family.
“There’s a lot more relationship involved here,” Huber says. “You can call or text me any time. It’s not uncommon for people to question whether they should go to the ER or if this is OK. You’re at home and going to bed and things started going south, or you’re having a reaction to a medication and you’re questioning what you should do. So many people just need to reach out to someone and get a quick answer, so they know where to go from here.”
